TWO GLASSES OF WINE

There are different variations of this story, but the moral remains the same. This version is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy this story and remember the moral.

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...

AND THE STORY GOES...

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.

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 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 check-ups. Take your partner
out to dinner. Play another 18. 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."