The Mayonnaise Jar And Coffee

THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND COFFEE

Message: 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 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-your family, your children, your
health, your friends,
and your favorite 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 house, and your car.
The
sand 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 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 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."