MAYONNAISE JAR and TWO CUPS OF 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 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 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 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 liquid 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 other things that matter like your job,
house, and 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."
"So... 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."
