I'm sure most people have read this from somewhere, but thought I would post it.
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The Mayonnaise Jar
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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