A friend forwarded this to me a couple of days back..
When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar & 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 dthe students again if the jar was full. they 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 spaces between the sand. The students laughed.
The professor continued. "I want you to recognise that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - your family, your friends, your God, your health, your passions - things that would complete your life even if everything else was lost. The pebbles are the other things that matter - your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else - the little things.
If you put in the sand first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls; same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for things that are important. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical check ups. Take your wife/husband/kids out to dinner. Maybe play another 18. There's always time to clean the house and fix the pipes. Take care of the golf balls first, things that really matter."
A student raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked. It just goes on to show that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."
:)
