The Important Things In Life

阳妍华

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 jar and

1 （begin） to fill it with small rocks.

He then asked the students if the jar was 2 . They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of little stones and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The stones， of course， rolled into the open areas between 3 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 4 the jar was full. The students answered with one voice “Yes”.

“Now，” said the professor， “I want you to recognize that this jar stands for your life. The rocks are the important 5 （thing）—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 little stones are the other things 6 matter—like your job， your house， your car. The sand is everything else， the small things.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first，” he continued， “there is no room for the little stones or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time 7 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 your partner

8 （go） out dancing. There will always be time to go to work， clean the house， give a dinner party， or do things like that.”

“Take care of the rocks first — the things that really matter. The rest is just sand.”

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