Points to ponder

> > 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 beer.

> >

> >

> > 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 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 unanimous

> > "yes."

> >

> >

> >

> > The professor then produced two cans of beer 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

> > faith, your family, your

> > children, your health, your friends, 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, 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 beer

> > 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 beers."