The Ledge - Thoughts

Hey all just thought I'd post this it made me think a bit...

THE MAYONNAISE JAR AND 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 s and 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 l ike 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. Pay attention to the things that are
>critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get
>medical checkups. Take your wife out to dinner. Maybe even play another
>18. There's always 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 yo ur life may seem, there's always room for a
>couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

This really struck a nerve especially after I lost a "golf ball" this last week, my cat Oreo is up in kitty heaven...I then of course remembered to go have coffee with a friend.