When things in your life seem almost too much to handle ...
... when 24 hours in a
day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise
jar and the 2 cups of coffee.
A professor stood before his philosophy
class and had some items in front of
him. When the class began, he wordlessly
picked up a very large and empty
mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with
golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed
that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of
pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open
areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students
again if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into
the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything
else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students
responded
with a unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the
table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively
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--God, your family, your
children, your health, your friends and your
favorite passions--and 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 and 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 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.
"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your
happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get
medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play
another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and
fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really
matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the
coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked.
It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
*there's * always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
