The Mayonnaise The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

God is so good!! Tonight I am feeling over whelmed and I got an e-mail with this story in it. It was exactly what I needed. I hope you like it!

The Mayonnaise Jar and

2 Cups of Coffee

When 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 int o 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 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."