A mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee*
We all get stressed over the small things and we tend to find ourselves sweating them more and more as the holiday season comes round. I received this email a few days ago, and I, as do most people, choose to delete them…usually, but this one caught my eye.
A professor walked into his class one day, carrying a huge empty mayonnaise jar and a bag. Inside the bag were golf balls, pebbles, sand, and two cups of coffee.
He set the jar on his desk and asked the class what it was. The class replied, “A mayonnaise jar.” The professor then took out the golf balls and poured them into the empty jar. Then he asked the class if the jar was full. The class said yes. He then put the pebbles in the jar, and naturally the pebbles filled the cracks. He proceeded to ask the class to if the jar was full, they once again replied yes. Next, he took out the sand and filled up the spaces that were left in the jar. The class once again agreed that the jar was full. The professor then continued to explain the presentation.
“During the holiday season we seem to forget the important things in life. We all are mayonnaise jars. The golf balls represent the important things in your life; your family, friends, and people who are close to you. The pebbles represent you commitments, your job, and school. The sand represents the small things in life, things that we all have to deal with everyday.”
The professor then emptied the jar and filled up with sand.
“If we let the little things control and take priority,” he said. “There is no room for the important things in our lives.”
The professor stood their for a second, a student raised his hand and asked, “What are the two cups of coffee for?”
“I’m glad you asked,” the professor said, “The coffee is what helps you get your kick start, also it’s nice to slow down and have some coffee with a good friend.”
So, as the hectic holiday season is upon us, keep...