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Subject: How busy
can you be?
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 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.
So 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 an
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 God, family, children, health, friends, and your
favourite 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, 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. Invite people around for dinner. 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.
Hope you are smiling at this moment!
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