Granular Materials Laboratory
Philosophy using GRANULAR MATTER!!
A professor stood before his Philosophy 101 class and had some items in
front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up the 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 it was. So
the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the
jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, 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 picked up a box of
sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up
everything else. He then once more asked 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 proceeded to pour 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 wife/husband, your
health, your children, your friends, 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, 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 your
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 important to your happiness. Play with your
children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your wife/husband out
dancing. Play another 18. There will always be time to go to work, clean
the house, give a dinner party 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 beer 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 is always room for a couple of beers.
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