A Jar of Mayonnaise

When things in life get too much - when 24 hrs a day is not enough;
remember a jar a mayonnaise and two cups of coffee.

A professor in philosophy stood in front of his class and a few things were laid out on his desk.
As class started he lifted - without a word - a very large and empty jar of mayonnaise and started to fill it with golfballs.

He then asked the students: Is this jar full?

They all agreed that it was full.

The professor then took a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar a little and the pebbles rolled into the small spaces between the golfballs.

He asked the students again: Is this jar full?

They all agreed that it was full.

The professor then took a box with sand and poured it into the jar. Of course the sand filled up between the golfballs and the pebbles.

Once again the professor asked: Is this jar full?

The students gave a unanimously "Yes".
Finally the professor took the 2 cups of coffee from under the table and poured them into the jar - which filled the empty space between the grit. The students laughed.

"Now" - the professor said while the laughter faded - "I wish for you all to understand that this jar represents your lives. The golfballs are the important things - God, family, kids, health, friends and your passions. Things which would still make your life meaningful when all other is lost. The pebbles are the things that matter - your job, house and car. The sand is the rest - the little things."

"If you pour in the sand first" - he continued - "there will not be any room for the pebbles and the golfballs- Same thing will happen in life. If you spend all your time and energy on the little things, there will never be any room for the important things.

So....
Notice the things that are essential for your happiness.
Play with your kids.
Make an appointment to have your health checked out.
Take your loved one out to dinner.
There will always be time to clean the house and fixing the dripping faucet.

Take care of the golfballs first - the things that are really important to you.
Prioritize. The rest.....is just sand."

One of the students raised their hand and asked: "Why the coffee?"

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked." - "That's only to show you that no matter what fills up your life, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend."

Please share this with other "golfballs"...I just did.. ;o)