I received this timely email from a friend this morning. We're having issues with our lawyer / deck and these words put things into perspective!!

When things in your life seem , almost too much to handle, when 24 Hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups 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.

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 - family, children, health, friends and 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, house, and 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.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get pamper yourself. Take your partner out to dinner. There will always be time to clean the house and wash the windows.

'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.'

Please share this with other "Golf Balls"

I just did.......

That is AWESOME!

I've seen it before but a reminder of the theme is timely.
Thanks for that, it's so true.

Thats brilliant thanks for sharing it with us

Wouldn't the coffee ruin the golf balls? Plus, what kind of lecturer has to resort to such gimmicks? It all sounds a bit dubious to me.

thats really nice thanks for sharing.

I reckon it's made up. I know people that did philosophy at uni and they didn't mention any golf balls or coffee - it was all various 'isms' and trying to look world weary and cynical at parties to make girls fancy them. Annoyingly it usually worked.

Does it have to be a mayonnaise jar? I have a big empty pickle jar and am keen to impress my friends with this trick.

I like it, makes sense; devote yourself to your loved ones, don't sweat the small stuff.

But what does the jar represent? Skull? Skin? Containment? Institutionalisation?

I prefer the idea of an open area, instead of a jar. Break the mold, free expression. A football instead of golf balls. Grass instead of pebbles. Soil instead of sand. Recent rains instead of coffee. Jumpers for goal posts. Football; uncategorisable. 4-4-2, 4-2-4, 0898-65-4000. One's gone home for his tea. Beans on toast?

Rush goalie.

Marvellous.

I love this I do sweat the small stuff let my anxieties get on top of me and I often remind myself that when I play with my boys and spend quality time with my hubby and my family and my friends, that for those moments my anxieties fall to the back of my mind and all is good with the world x

Now someone buy our house so we can move to over there please that will be one big anxiety removed lol x

+1

I think this is better and more effective

I must admit I love this too

My new boss informed me that he away next week on vacation and that he wouldn't take vacation if he had his way, but his family want to go.

I decided we are very different people.

I heard that again on the radio about three months ago, and it nearly brought me to tears! So very good. Thanks for the link.