{ Jar of Life } As 2012 begins...

This is the time of the year when we tend to reflect on the past and the future. Maybe more than any other time, we look at our lives from a distance, trying to see the bigger picture, making resolutions...We want to become better versions of ourselves, for us and our loved ones, and at the end, we are all trying to be happier.

With that in mind, I want to share this story. I don't know where it originates but it has been circulating websites and blogs for years. In slight variations, with the same message. Here it goes:

A professor stood before his philosophy class with some items in front of him. When the class began, he picked up a very large and empty glass 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 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. “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls represent the important things – your family, your health, your children, your friends, your passions, the kind of stuff that if all else was lost and only these 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 unimportant stuff. “If you put the sand into the jar first, there will be no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.”

"You know, the same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small things, you will never have room for the things that are really important. Pay attention to the elements that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner dancing. Don’t worry. There will always be time to work more, clean the house, throw a dinner party and fix that fence. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

After a few moments of silence in the classroom, one of the students raised their hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with friends!"

~

We all know how crazy the tempo of our lives can be and how it is not always easy to take time for these important things. With this story in mind, I wish that 2012 brings you moments that are happier, fuller and more meaningful. I experienced many moments like this in 2011, creating beautiful pictures for my clients and my own family. I know many more are coming in 2012 and that makes me really happy.

Oh, and enjoy those beers! (coffee & tea count too!)
Cheers!
:0)