When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in <TT>a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar...and the coffee...</TT> <TT>A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front</TT> <TT>of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and</TT> <TT>empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then</TT> <TT>asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.</TT> <TT>So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the</TT> <TT>jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas</TT> <TT>between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was</TT> <TT>full. They agreed it was.</TT> <TT>The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of</TT> <TT>course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar</TT> <TT>was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."</TT> <TT>The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and</TT> <TT>poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty</TT> <TT>space between the sand. The students laughed.</TT> <TT>"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to</TT> <TT>recognize that this jar represents your life.</TT> <TT>The golf balls are the important things- your God, family, your children,</TT> <TT>your health, your friends, and your favorite passions-things that if</TT> <TT>everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be</TT> <TT>full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your</TT> <TT>house, and your car. The sand is everything else-the small stuff.</TT> <TT>"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room</TT> <TT>for the pebbles or the golf balls.</TT> <TT>The same goes for life.</TT> <TT>If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never</TT> <TT>have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the</TT> <TT>things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take</TT> <TT>time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play</TT> <TT>another 18.</TT> <TT>There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal."</TT> <TT>Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set</TT> <TT>your</TT> <TT>priorities. The rest is just sand."</TT> <TT>One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee</TT> <TT>represented.</TT> <TT>The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that</TT> <TT>no</TT> <TT>matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of</TT> <TT>cups of coffee with a friend." </TT>
