One Jar of Mayonnaise and 2 cups of coffee

One Jar of Mayonnaise and 2 cups of coffee.

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours ina day isn't enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in frontof him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large andempty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He thenasked 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 betweenthe golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. Theyagreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Ofcourse, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jarwas full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table andpoured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty spacebetween the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you torecognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important thingsour family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passionsnd 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 andyour 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 golfballs.

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 toyou.

"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 todinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house andfix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that reallymatter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffeerepresented. 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...