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 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 in life.
Your God, your 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, your will never have room for the things that
are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your
happiness. Hang out with your friends. Take time to go for a walk. Enjoy a meal
with your family. 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 about 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.”
(or any fine drinks with friends, if you don't drink coffee like myself)
No comments:
Post a Comment