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Subject: The Mayonnaise Jar
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 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 that 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."
Please share this with someone you care about. I JUST DID
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