THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND 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...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 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, your faith, and your favourite 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 education, your house, and your car. The sand i s
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.

There will always be time to clean the house and wash the car.
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.

I just did.