Story: A Lesson in Philosophy

The philosophy Professor appeared in the classroom with a big paper box. Without saying anything, he took out of the paper box a glass vase and began filling it up with small stones. The students were all looking puzzled.

When the vase didn’t have any more space for stones, the professor asked:

-Is the vase full?

And the students replied:

-Yes, it’s full.

The professor smiled and without speaking, he took out of the paper box a bag with small pebbles and started filling up the vase; he shook it a bit and the pebbles dropped and filled the gaps between the stones. When the vase didn’t have any more space for pebbles, the professor asked:

-Is the vase full?

And the students replied:

-Yes, it’s full.

He smiled and, without speaking, he took out of the paper box a bag of sand and started emptying it into the vase. The sand dropped and filled all the gaps between stones and pebbles. When the vase didn’t have any more space for sand, he asked:

-Is the vase full?

The students slightly hesitated, but replied:

-Yes, it’s full.

He smiled again, and without speaking, he took out of the paper box two bottles of beer and started spilling them into the vase. When the vase didn’t have any more space for beer, he asked:

-Is the vase full?

This time the students laughed and said:

-Yes, it’s full.

-Now, said the professor, I want you to imagine that the vase represents your life:


The stones are the most important things in life: Family, your partner, your children, your health, your good friends.
The pebbles are the other important things in your life such as studies, home, and work. If you put them first in the vase, there wouldn’t be any space left for stones, the most important things in life.
Sand is everything else -the very small things- in life. If you put the sand first, there wouldn't be any space left neither for stones nor pebbles.

The vase is your life. If you spend time and effort for small things, you will never find time for the important ones.


Separate what is important for your happiness.
Talk to your parents, play with your kids, adore your partner, look after your health, enjoy your friends. There will always be time for knowledge and studies, there will always be time for work, there will always be time to fix your house and your car. Be careful for the stones. Separate your priorities.

The students were amazed but one asked:

-Well, ok with all of that but what about the beer?

And the laughing professor replied:

-I’m so glad you asked. It’s simple: No matter how full is your life, no matter how tight things can be, you have to know that THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SPACE FOR A COUPLE OF BEERS!