Coffee Dates

I remember reading this years ago; I stumbled upon it again and thought about it after going out on a couple of casual dates:

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.

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 in life. Your God, your 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 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.

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 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."

This story is amazing; I've read it over and over again over the past couple of years and never get tired of it.

If you can't tell from my previous posts, my life has been hectic, crazy, and ridiculously busy. But recently, I've made certain that I leave some time aside or make time to catch up with old friends and relax over a coffee date.

Even when times get rough, even when times are hard, and even when times are limited; there's always time for a small coffee date. I've been catching up with several of my friends despite all my scheduled meetings, gatherings, and study sessions; even for just half an hour in a day. It's been comforting to see familiar faces again.

With my recent lifestyle change, I actually plan to become closer friends with some of them; people that I've found to enjoy spending time with. Some friends are from way back in high school and some are people that I just met; all I know is that I enjoy hanging around with them.

I'll always try my best to make time; especially for these new and old friends of mine. This story reminds me of one of my interview questions for Starbucks:

"What is your favorite thing about coffee?"

My response: "It gives you a reason to go on a date."