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, your 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 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
partner out to dinner. Play another 18 holes. 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."
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