I’ve seen different versions of this story circulating around the internet for years. I’m not sure who originally wrote it, but I’ve been thinking about it recently and how it pertains to writing. Here is my version:
One day, as students walked into a philosophy class, their professor assembled a variety of rocks, pebbles, and sand on a table in front as if it were a geology lesson. Without a word, the professor filled a large glass jar all the way to the top with the rocks. When he asked if the students thought the jar was full, they all agreed that it was.
Then the professor poured the pebbles into the jar and gently shook it. Naturally, the pebbles filtered down into the cracks between the rocks. “Now it is the jar full?” he asked. The students laughed and said, “Yes. Now it is.” But he proved them wrong, again. The professor picked up the bag of sand and carefully poured it on top of the rocks and pebbles. The sand sifted down and filled up the spaces between the rocks and pebbles.
The students proclaimed that surely now, the jar was full. But to their surprise, the professor had one more trick up his sleeve. From under the table he produced a pitcher of water. Even with all of the rocks, pebbles, and sand, there was still room for water in the jar.
The professor explained to his students that the jar represents life. The rocks are the really important things, family, children, health, etc. The pebbles are things that matter, too, but on a smaller scale, such as work and school. The sand and the water are the small stuff. If you put the pebbles or the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks. He implored his students to make sure they paid attention to the things that are truly important and not to let small stuff take over their lives. In other words, be mindful of your priorities.
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Many writers, including me, lament the fact that we just don’t have time to write. Writing may not be a rock or even a pebble in our lives, we all have families and jobs, but even with the hustle and bustle of our modern existence there is still room for our creativity. There are always cracks between the rocks and spaces between the water molecules. Fill up the these cracks with writing. Ten minutes in the morning before the kids wake up. Fifteen minutes at Taekwando waiting for your kid’s class to end. Brainstorming in your head while you take a walk. Heck, I was able to write a whole book by writing in the cracks!
I claim that writers, or any sort of creative person, should make the cracks a priority. Guard these gaps in your life fiercely, and be careful what you choose to fill them up with. An hour of checking Facebook or Twitter can certainly fill in those cracks, but will they fill up the hole inside you from not writing? I’ve found that when I write in the cracks of my life, I am more connected to my life. The more connected to my life I am, the more the words flow from me and onto the page. There is always time to devote to what makes us soar!