When things in your lives 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 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--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. "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. Take up a
>>hobby... 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. ...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."