4
   

Philosophy of Rocks

 
 
Reply Thu 13 Feb, 2003 12:27 am
A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, he wordlessly picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks right to the top, rocks about 2" diameter.
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 in to the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
He asked his students again if he jar was full?
They agreed that yes, it was.
The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, and your children - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The pebbles are the other things in life that matter, but on a smaller scale. The pebbles represent things like your job, house, or car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff."
"If you put the sand or the pebbles into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, material things, you will never have room for the things that are truly most important.
  • Topic Stats
  • Top Replies
  • Link to this Topic
Type: Discussion • Score: 4 • Views: 1,400 • Replies: 9

 
MooseMalloy
 
  1  
Reply Thu 13 Feb, 2003 08:07 pm
One of the best parables I've read!
0 Replies
 
LarryBS
 
  1  
Reply Thu 13 Feb, 2003 11:32 pm
Thanks sweet, I liked it.

Welcome to A2K, sweetnpetite and MooseMalloy.
0 Replies
 
JoanneDorel
 
  1  
Reply Thu 13 Feb, 2003 11:38 pm
Excellant parable and welcome to A2k.
0 Replies
 
Cyracuz
 
  1  
Reply Wed 4 May, 2011 01:18 am
@sweetnpetite,
A very nice story posted on a2k in 2003. I joined in 2004, so I never saw this.
Now, if I post in this thread now in 2011, will it be bumped all the way up? We shall see Smile
wayne
 
  1  
Reply Wed 4 May, 2011 01:23 am
@Cyracuz,
Yes, that is very nice, glad you dredged it up.
Cyracuz
 
  1  
Reply Wed 4 May, 2011 01:28 am
@wayne,
It was a nice story for the way the professor spun it into being a parrable of life, but I also liked it for the asking "is the jar full", and then filling it up further. It can be seen as a reminder to free our minds from the patterns it likes to work in.
wayne
 
  1  
Reply Wed 4 May, 2011 01:30 am
@Cyracuz,
Yeah, I liked that too. Kinda makes you think.
0 Replies
 
roger
 
  3  
Reply Wed 4 May, 2011 02:39 am
@sweetnpetite,
And, to finish this little parable, the professor opened a bottle of beer and poured it into the container.

Moral: There's always room for beer.
Cyracuz
 
  1  
Reply Wed 4 May, 2011 02:42 am
@roger,
Laughing
0 Replies
 
 

Related Topics

How can we be sure? - Discussion by Raishu-tensho
Proof of nonexistence of free will - Discussion by litewave
Destroy My Belief System, Please! - Discussion by Thomas
Star Wars in Philosophy. - Discussion by Logicus
Existence of Everything. - Discussion by Logicus
Is it better to be feared or loved? - Discussion by Black King
Paradigm shifts - Question by Cyracuz
 
  1. Forums
  2. » Philosophy of Rocks
Copyright © 2024 MadLab, LLC :: Terms of Service :: Privacy Policy :: Page generated in 0.05 seconds on 04/28/2024 at 01:31:27