Muslim Friends Stories: Mayonnaise and the 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
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 thesand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughtersubsided, "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 otherthings that matter like your job, your house,
andyour 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
spendall your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have
room for the things that are important. Pay attention to the things
that are critical to your happiness.Play with your children. Take care
of the golf ballsfirst, 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 nomatter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a
couple of cupsof coffee with a friend." Please share this with someone
you care about.