A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. The conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and in life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:
"If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.
"What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee. Jobs, money and position in society are the cups. Those things are just tools to hold and contain life, and do not change the quality of life. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided."
So, don't let the cups drive you ... enjoy the coffee instead.
Cool story Cheryl! Except I don't drink coffee very often, so where does that leave me? I get God's Blessings first? LOL
ReplyDeleteLove ya....
Substitute hot chocolate, Sue!
ReplyDeleteCheryl thanks for the story-- it could not have come at a better time!
ReplyDeleteCheryl, that is a good story! It sure makes you stop and think!
ReplyDeleteGREAT story that I'll be passing on; wonderful one to invite new bloggers! Yes, Sue, hot cider (sugar-free for me) or hot cocoa with any flavoring, raspberry, mint, peppermint stick/candy cane & marshmallow. (shades of that gun just arose! lol) or any herbal tea expecially with honey. Now that's the life to savor!
ReplyDeleteNot much of a drinker, but we could go on to Amaretto or any sweet beverage like that. I drink my flavored or ice water in a crystal flower-etched beer glass because it's pretty & elegant!
Oh, don't forget lemonade or raspberry ice tea or root beer floats. Guess you can see I like variety in beverages (and food) but I DID get the message and a very timely one. Cheryl, you find the greatest thoughts to share, must be why you are a writer!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions ... now I'm thirsty for hot chocolate with mint! yummy for your tummyyyyyyyy.
ReplyDeleteCheryl you and lou are a dolls for suggesting it. Hot chocolate with mint (or peppermint stick), peppermint ice cream, a warm cozy blanket and a good book! (Likely one of Cheryl's!
Have a warm and safe night everyone.
Sue, what lovely thoughts/visions! Thanks for the reminder: got my peppermint stick ice cream served up in a deep purple crystal pedestal dish. Why do they only make it in winter? And got out my Mary Englebriet & Rudolph Christmas mugs, as well as my 3 childhood Santa mugs with his face in bas-relief, one is winking; found minature ones for my sister to serve her grandkids like we did with candy canes hooked on the rim til they & marshmallows melted in the cocoa. THAT's memories of LIFE! Now to create more by savoring the present instead of worrying about the future.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, forwarded to my Women's Sun School class so hope you get some new readers and/or bloggers.
Thank you for forwarding, Lou!
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh with visions of that marshmallow gun and the hot chocolate. LOL I can see the splashes now.
And that reminded me of a list I read years back - things to do when you're bored. One of them was: stuff your mouth full of marshmallows and order at a drive through window! LOL Shades of what they sound like to us, eh? That still cracks me up.
p.s. Lou, I have a collection of those Santa face mugs.
ReplyDeleteOf course I do. Not much I don't collect, right?
It reminds me of the story about the professor who brought in a box, filled it with Tennis balls, then marbles, sand and finally poured in a cup of coffee. It was to symbolise life
ReplyDeleteBecause a life is never suppose to be so full that you can't stop and have a cup with a friend.
What a great lesson. Now I'm staring at the coke in my plastic cup...
ReplyDeleteMichelle, that story is one of my favorites; if anyone has a copy, I'd appreciate one by email. Saw it demonstrated as children's sermon at church a few yrs back.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, of course I'm NOT surprised you have those Santas. What may surprise you is that I declined my Dad's offer of a Shirley Temple doll from my Mom's collection. I have 6 of her Amish dolls sitting on a quilt in a sled and told my son when he gave me a porcelain fashion doll that I loved it, but didn't want to start a doll collection since I have so MANY collections (anything in minature, etc) & stopped collecting angels when the trend started. Cutting down on dust collectors; 3 males don't appreciate them!! lol