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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. 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 gold 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 recognise that this jar
represents your life. The golf balls are the important things: your
family; your children; your faith; your health; your friends 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, 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.
"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 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
enquired 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."
Submitted
by Gill Griffin
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