A Philosophy on Life

[smb]

This arrived in my e-mail:

Subject: Philosophy of life

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 2 cups of

coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in

front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly 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 that 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--God, your family, your children, your health, your

friends and your favorite passions--and 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 spouse

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."

[Chai Rolfe]

I had read an article based on this before, it made me smile

It's a great way of looking at things.. if you can follow it

I'm still working on labelling all my things. It's easy to forget what things are golf balls and what's just sand.

Right now my life seems to be full of coffee and pebbles.

This arrived in my e-mail:

Subject: Philosophy of life

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."

[smb]

The golf balls are the

important things--God, your family, your children, your health, your

friends and your favorite passions--and 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."

Coffee and golf balls sound good to me!!!

Pebbles are a bonus, I guess?!!