A philosophy professor stood before his class with some rather unusual items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large glass jar and proceeded to fill it with two-inch diameter rocks. When finished he asked his students if the jar was full and they agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of small pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and the pebbles filled the gaps between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full and again they agreed that it was.

Next, the professor picked up a box of sand and proceeded to pour it into the jar. The sand of course filled all the remaining space.

“Now”, said the professor, “I want you to realise that this jar and its contents represent your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your children, your health, your friends – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles represent the other things that matter – your house, your job, your car. The sand represents everything else in your life, the small stuff”.

“If you put the sand into the jar first, there will be no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same can be said about your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that play the most important role”.

“Pay attentiion to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Look after your health. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to the office, clean the house or fix that dripping tap”.

“Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities and hold them fast. The rest is just sand”.

A student who had been listening intently then stood up and walked to the front of the class. He took the jar which everyone else agreed was full and proceeded to pour in a glass of beer. Of course the beer filled all the remaining spaces within the jar, making it truly full.

The moral? No matter how full your life is, there’s always room for a beer.