Wednesday 24 May 2006

The Mayonnaise Jar And Coffee

A forwarded e-mail from a friend.

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.

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 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 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."

Just came across another website full of games: Reflexive Arcade. Games galore! Wohoo! And the best part is that I get to play the games without limitation thanks to people who share (if you know what I mean). Haha.

Today's horoscope: "Work on your ability to tell the good from the bad. Discernment will save the day."
Polish up your vision today -- having a good eye will be invaluable. A dear friend needs your advice on a confusing situation. They're too close and your nonsense detector is more accurate than theirs. Tell them the difference between the good and the bad. At work, there is a steady build up of cons that are starting to outweigh the pros in a long-term situation. You may need to schedule a chat with a higher-up soon. Make sure you get what you want.
Eh?
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