A teacher stood before his class and had some items in front of him.  When class began, quietly he picked up a large empty glass jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameters.

He than asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.  So the teacher 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 students laughed.  The teacher picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.  Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life.  The rocks are the important things (your faith, your family and loved ones); anything that is so important to you that if they were lost, you would be devastated."

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your health, your job, your house and your 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 rocks.  The same goes for your life.  If you spend all your energy and time 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.  Go to church, spend time with your family, find time for your friends and look after your health.  There will always be time to go to work, clean the house or fix the lawnmower."

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

-- Author Unknown!