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 Beers.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some
items in front of him.
When the class began, he wordlessly 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 a unanimous
'yes....'
The professor then produced two Beers 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 family, your
children, your health, your friends and your favorite
passions---and 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.
Spend time with your children..
Spend time with your parents.
Visit with grandparents.
Take your spouse 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
Beer represented.
The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you
asked.'
The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life
may seem, there's always room for a couple of Beers with
a friend.
