Two Glasses Of Wine

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,

when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and

the 2 glasses of wine theory...

A professor stood before his philosophy class with some

items on his desk 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.

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 glasses of wine 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, and 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, and 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 good 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 holes. Do one more

run down the ski slope. 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 wine 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 glasses of wine with a friend.'