Friday, April 14, 2006
The Mayonnaise Jar & 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... & the coffee...
A professor stood before his philosophy class & had some items in front
of
him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large & empty
mayonnaise jar & proceeded to fill it with golfballs. He then asked the
students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles & poured them into the
jar.
He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between
the golfballs.
He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand & 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 infamous "yes."
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table &
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 golfballs are the important things. Your family, your children, your
faith, your health, your friends & your favorite passions.
Things that if everything else was lost & only they remained, your life
would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter. Your job, your house, &
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 golfballs.
The same goes for life. If you spend all your time & 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. There will always be
time
to clean the house & fix the disposal.
Take care of the golfballs first, the things that really matter.
Set your priorities.
The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand & 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."
