Tale of Two Pints

It's beer 101, son

A college professor stood before his class, picked up a very large empty jar, and filled it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They all agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles, poured it into the jar, and shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

Again, he asked the students if the jar was full. Again, they agreed that it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled up everything else. Yet again he asked his class if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "Yes!"

Finally, the professor produced two pints of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, 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--family, friends, health, and favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."

"The pebbles are the things that matter, like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else--the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first, 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."

"So, pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Love your family. Exercise and get medical checkups. Have fun with friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap."

"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter." the professor concluded. "Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
 
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the two pints of beer represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show, no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend."