Mayonnaise Jar & Two Beers...

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 Beers.

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 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 Beers 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 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.

Spend time with your children.

Spend time with your parents.

Visit with grandparents.

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 Beer represented.

The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.'

The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of Beers with a friend.

Um, I need to show that to my wife.....

I will reply it on fb and give due credit.. awesome

Quote from: cokey on December 12, 2011, 07:03:52 AM
I will reply it on fb and give due credit.. awesome

Ummm...don't give me credit, not original, been around for a while, I have no idea who deserves credit.

Eh u still get it some.. i never read it.. 

Thanks Howie, important stuff there.

I remember seeing it a long time ago, no idea where... but very good to see it again.

Now I'm thirsty.

i've heard that before, but w/o the beer.

Great analogies.

Getting ready to meet three of my best guy friends in a bit for cold beer, margaritas and good tex-mex food. We try and get together (sans wives and kiddos) every month but it some times runs over to a month and a half... maybe two months. We like to call it our Board of Directors dinner. My life would have a huge hole in it without it. We laugh our asses off, vent and pregnant dog and then laugh some more. It's a very sane, mind clearing, fun evening. Like Vegas, what's said at BOD dinners stays there. Like a turbo pop off valve, you just have to have one! Two guys have been friends of mine for 45+ years, the other 35+ years. All were in my wedding. We've all been there to see our kids born and then grow up. They had all better stay in good shape... they'll be toting my coffin when I sign off.

Good post by the OP by the way!

Yeah, no body gets to the end of it all and says "I wish I would've worked more..." 

But what do you do with the left over mayonnaise?

thanks for posting

Howie thanks for putting this up, excellent, timeless and universally relevant.

great post howie 

Yesterday I drove with the family to a local tree farm to pick and cut a Christmas tree.  For whatever reason I was pissed at the wife, she pissed at me, kids being kids.  The ride up was just about conversationless.

The weather was gloomy and the first field we went to was a bit sparce/picked over.  For some reason I walked out to a far tree which wasnt at all like the others, a bit askew if you will.  As I looked at it, still grumbling about the car ride up, I noticed something white just at its base.......A make the beast with two backsING GOLF BALL!   

I spared the quirky tree, pocketed the ball and left my attitude on that field.