>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 two cups of 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. > >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 liquid 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, children, health, friends, and 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, house, and 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.' > >'So... > >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.'