Vincent Lister

THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table 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 rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that 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 rocks.

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 the remaining open areas of the jar.

He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”

“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – 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 rocks. 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 critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party, or fix the disposal.”

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

HARMONY & JOY

Once the peaceful inhabitants from the Earth asked one very powerful wizard to stop all wars and bloodshed on the planet.
— It is simple, - he said. — I will destroy all weapons on the Earth, and nobody will be able to fight more.
-It would be fine! –people exclaimed.
The magic wand’s wave - and this was done.
There was a peace on the planet for three days, while the majority of those who were prone to fight, sought and could not find a weapon.
And when they under-stood they’ve lost it forever, they contrived spears of young trees, and started to fight again.
When the wizard heard such bad news, he said:
- Do not worry. I will destroy all young trees, and these bullies will not be able to fight.
After two or three days of fruitless searching for young trees, suitable for making spears, rebellious people started to cut giant trees, make batons from them, and the bloodshed has started again. The Wizard destroyed all big trees. Then humans made knives and swords of metal. He destroyed all metal on the planet. People made sling and began to throw stones at each other. It was necessary to destroy the stones, too. And then peacekeepers sounded the alarm: all trees have disappeared; there is no metal and stones. How to live, what to eat now? There will be no vegetation soon, and people will die without even fighting. No, this is a wrong solution of the problem.
The Wizard became confused:
— I do not know how to behave now. I would have destroyed all humanity, but, unfortunately, it is not in my power!
Peacekeepers fell into despair; they did not know what to do. And then one clever kid turned to the Wizard.
- I know what you should do. Let people feel, how others perceive their actions. If one person hurt someone, let him to feel the same pain, and if he brings joy to someone, let him to feel the same joy. So no one will hurt each other, because he will feel pain immediately, too, and would have to stop.
All people were inspired with the greatness of baby’s thought, and the wizard embodied his idea exactly. He returned all trees, stones and metals, and even weapons that people have remade in tolls soon.
Since that day, no one on the planet did not try to hurt his neighbour, because he would have to feel the same pain, too. People began to help each other, because they liked the sense of joy they felt at this moment. And they began to live in harmony and joy.