Life and a can of beer

[MelissaMW 14]

LIFE AND TWO CANS OF BEER

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else--the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

"The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal.

"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set

your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer

represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."

[Dave Olson 23]

Thanks Melissa,

Been quite some time since I heard/read that one. But its really good stuff. I've copied and pasted it so I could print it out. Gonna put a copy in all of the paycheck envelopes this week.

Thanks again Melissa

Dave Olson

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Way cool Melissa. I had not seen that one, but have seen the one about nails in the board....

[Jon 533]

Beth post it, the one about the nails and board.

I have not seen that one.

Beer, well there is NO room in my life for it, don't drink it.

Paul B. is going to disagree 100% on that subject and with pleasure.

Jon

[Dave Olson 23]

Hello Jon,

This may be what Beth was referring too.

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, ‘You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.’

A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are a very rare jewel indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, share words of praise and always want to open their hearts to us.

[John T 744]

Melissa,

That was great. I use to love beer but I would replace that story with 2 glasses of RED WINE. Either a Merlot or a Cabernet served at room temperature. Now Where talking.

[Celeste 341]

That is so unbelievably true!!!!!

[Jon 533]

Dave I must admit I would have run out of nails! I have a short fuse at times and when I blow I swear and I do mean SWEAR and it matters little if it is male or female I swear at.

Now where is that case of nails?

Ok a box will do, I have over the years learned to control it but it is not perfect.

I do blame part of it on I do not take NO for an answer and being half deaf I tend to talk louder to start with, that right off puts people on the defensive.

As we age we do tend to mellow, some, but still that "no" word is not one I accept very willingly, see I have mellowed as I mature:)

[paul-uk 500]

you have jon..just like a red whine......:)

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

That was the one...

I used to work with a woman who sent out the nail one one a year at the holidays along with an apology to anyone she may have hurt during the year.

Beth