Story With Moral
STONE, Gravel, AND SAND
Contents
STONE, Gravel, AND SAND
At the beginning of a philosophy class at a university, the professor stands with some dangerous-looking items on his desk. That is an empty mayonnaise jar, a few stones, some gravel, and sand. Students looked at these objects curiously. They wondered what the professor wanted to do and tried to guess what demonstrations would occur.
Without saying a word, the professor began to put small stones into a jar of mayonaisse one at a time. The students were confused, but the professor did not give an explanation first. After the stones reached the neck of the tube, the professor spoke for the first time that day. He asked students if they thought the jar was full. The students agreed that the jar was full.
The professor then took the gravel on the table and slowly poured the gravel into the jar. The small pebble found a gap between large stones. The professor then lightly shook the jar to allow the gravel to settle to the gap in the jar. He then again asked students if the jar was full, and the student again agreed that the jar was full.
Students now know what the professor will do next, but they still don't understand why the professor does it. The professor took the sand and poured it into the jar of mayonnaise. Sand, as expected, fills up any remaining space in the jar. The professor once asked his students if the jar was full, and the answer was once again: YES.
The professor then explained that the jar of mayonnaise was an analogy to life. He equates stones with the most important things in life, namely: Health, your spouse, your children, and all the things that make life complete.
He then compares gravel to things that make your life comfortable like your work, your home, and your car. Finally, he explained that sand is small things that are not very important in your life.
The professor explained that placing the sand first in the jar would cause no space for stones or gravel. Likewise, messing up your life with small things will leave you with no room for big things that are truly valuable.