Why Starbucks is a Necessity

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 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.

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 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, your God, family, your children,
your health, your friends and 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, 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 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 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."