A story that makes me ponder about my life. Enjoy....... -aku-

"Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee" 

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."