mayonaise

      THE MAYONNAISE JAR

       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- 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."