Just Remember the Mayonnaise Jar

So I got an email the other day from a friend...
At first glance it looked just like any other chain letter, especially since this person never sends me emails, but something got the better of me and told me to just read it...
so I did. This is what it was:
----------------------------------------
'The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough;remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy classand had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jarand start 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 pouredit 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 an unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the tableand poured the entire contents into the jar, effectivelyfilling 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 - God, family,children, health, friends, and favorite passions, things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and 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. So... 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. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.' '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.'

Please share this with other "Golf Balls"
--END EMAIL--
----------------------------------------

It's a really interesting look at life when you think about it, and it really does make sense.
I really think there are too many of us today that fill our jars with too much sand and we never find the time/space for the golf balls/pebbles. And that, in my opinion, causes us too much stress as we worry to much about the small things in life and regret to enjoy the things we want to. But sometimes I guess it can't be helped, especially in the type of world we live in now...where everything seems like it's slowing falling apart around us.
As for myself, I am worrying too much about the small things...my small things being my debt. But it's just something I want gone. Once it is, there will be a ridiculously LARGE amount of weight lifted off my shoulders.
I just wish I could have listened to my own advice I give to people when it comes to credit...
'Only spend what you have available to you in cash so you can pay it off.'
The idea makes total sense...You build credit, don't accrue interest, and don't have anything extra to pay back...
But come on, you know at first it never works out that way. Most people in life don't learn lessons until they learn it the hard way.
And I found that out the HARD way, but now I'm cleaning up that whole credit debt mess. Sometimes I still finding my 'bad side' getting the best of me and being like "Well, it's only like $15....no biggie to put on that credit card." But when I continually let it happen, it builds up...QUICK. Though, I am getting much better at resisting purchases. So kudos to me on that. Now it's just a matter of patience and perseverance...all things come to an end eventually, as I'm hoping will happen with my debt.

On a last note, back to the email, I really enjoy the closing statement:
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.'

It's a very true statement, and I think for a long time I was always to oblivious to that fact and I've probably lost some meaningful friendships from that...some I probably can't get back no matter how hard I try. But I still find myself crawling back to try to dig up some past relationships and see if I can maybe re-spark that fire we had. I'm in need of more/new friends.
Let's see how that works out for me.
So just remember, take some time, even just two minutes, out of your day to get in touch with friends, new or old.