Cheesy But...

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 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
> God, 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, 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 partner 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."