The Mayonnaise Jar and Coffee

THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND COFFEE   >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 coffee... > >A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items 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 golf balls. 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 rolled into the open areas >between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was >full. They agreed 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-your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, >and your favorite passions-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, 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. Pay attention to the things that are >critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get >medical checkups. Take your wife out to dinner. Maybe even play another 18. There's >always 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." > >Please share this with someone you care about.