The Mayonnaise Jar and the Coffee

The Mayonnaise Jar and the 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 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 infamous ‘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 family, your children, your faith,

your health, your friends, and your favourite 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. Your job, your house,

and your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuffs.’

 

‘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.

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.’

 

Have great day!