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When things in your life seem almost
too much to handle, when 24 Hours in a day is not enough,
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of 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.
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 an
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, family, children, health, friends, and
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, house, and 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. Put God first in your life. Play
With your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take
your partner 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.'
Please share this with someone you
care about.
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