Life Lesson: in a Jam Jar

There once was a professor of philosophy who in front of his class took a large, empty pot of jam and without saying a word, began to fill it with golf balls. 

Then he asked his students if the jar was full.  The students said yes.

The professor then took a box full of marbles and poured the marbles into the pot.  The marbles filled the gaps between the golf balls.  The professor asked the students again if the jar was full.  The students said yes.

Then the professor took a bag of sand and poured it into the pot.  Of course the sand filled all the remaining gaps and the professor asked again if the jar was full.  The students unanimously answered yes.

The professor then added two cups of coffee into the jar, filling the small gaps between the grains of sand.  The students started laughing.  After they stopped, the professor said, "I want you to realize that this pot of jam represents Life.

The golf balls are the very important things in life such as family, children, health, everything you are passionate about.  Our lives would still be full if you lost everything else and these were the only things that remained.

The marbles are the other things that count in our lives such as work, house, car, etc.

The sand represents everything else, all the small things in life.

If we had first poured sand into the jam pot, there wouldn't have been any room for anything else such as the golf balls or marbles.

It's the same thing in life.  If we put all our energy and time into the small things, we will never have any time or space for the things that really matter.

Pay attention to the things that are really important to your happiness.  Play with your children, take time to go to the doctor, have dinner with your spouse or partner, exercise and take time to enjoy your favorite pastimes.

There will always be time to do the cleaning and fix the faucets on the kitchen sink.

Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.  Choose your priorities.  The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised his hand and asked what the coffee meant.

The professor smiled and said. "It's good that you ask.  I only added the coffee to show that although your lives may seem full and busy, there is always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.  "Good day to all," and he left the classroom.