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A Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee





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 2 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. The students agreed that 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 sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your 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 or 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.”



Please share this with someone you care about.



I just did!

An oldie, but a goodie.

So true Gorddy! So true

a good story and a good lesson but the way I heard it, it was beer, not coffee... I can relate to that better.

Haven't heard this particular variation before, but have seen many of similar nature and they never get old. Thanks for the reminder.

They left out the part where the professor puts a lid on the jar, drills a hole in it, sticks tube through the hole and pumps a bunch of compressed air into the jar ... that represent your work trying to squeeze more work into your already busy schedule.

Right now I am trying to fit 100 golf balls in a one quart jar

I have done this a hundred times in varying fashions and it really works,....

Good story. I have not heard that before, thank you for sharing!

An oldie but goodie that seems even more appropriate after the events at VT.

This makes me hungry for a sammich and a cup of joe


KING