When things get you down (a bit of philosophy)
Life and a Cup 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.
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 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
cour se, 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 ball are the
important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends,
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, 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 n ever have room for
the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are
critical to your contentment and peace and purpose. Play with your
children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to
dinner. Take the senic route. 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."
So, remember, 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 coffee!"
(Taken from an Internet Yahoo group.)
