httWhen 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 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." Write your abstract here.
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