Sometime last year as we were all continuously getting beat down in the mainstream media by the doom and gloom regarding the economy, I realized maybe there was something I could do to help remind my friends, customers, and peers to better see thru all of that and notice the many great things that are also happening around us.

I felt as though the Chamber of Commerce needed to be different, that it needed to be a source of enthusiasm AND encouragement! As I was about to get new business cards printed, it dawned on me; maybe instead of Chief Executive Officer, at least for the foreseeable future, it needs to be Chief “Encouragement” Officer. And the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. I guess there was a reason after all that I had been saving a short message which I have always found to be a source of encouragement to me; and while I do not know who initially penned the story, I believe it is both timely and encouraging. I hope you enjoy it as well. Enjoy…

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 2 cups of 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.

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 - 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.

They agreed that it was.

The pebbles are the other 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. 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. Remember, the coffee is always on at the Chamber!

Author ~ Unknown

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