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 two 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 fills 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 it 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 - 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 things that matter like your job, house,
and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” he said.
“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...” he told them.
“So... pay attention to the things
that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with
your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good
friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the
dripping tap. 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 and said,
“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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