My Just For Fun Pages 

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2 inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else. Now, said the professor, I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things, the foundation of your life -- your family, your partner, your health, and your children anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The sand is everything else, things that matter, but to a lesser extent like your job, your house, your car. If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks.

The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy on your job, your house, or your car, 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. Do things with your spouse. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

Nancy Trice, © 1996-2001