Life

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your lives seem almost too much to
handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar
and the 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and
had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly 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 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---and 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 spouse 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."