The Mayonnaise Jar and the Coffee

I would like to thank my cousin again for this. Ivy dear... you're the best!!


The Mayonnaise Jar and the 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 upeverything else. He
asked once more if the jar was full. The studentsresponded 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 God, 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 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. Sing Karaoke. 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."

Have a blessed day and week!!!