A group of alumni, all highly established in their respective careers, got together for a visit with their old university professor.The conversation soon turned to complaints about the endless stress of work and life in general.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an eclectic assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal - some plain, some expensive, some quite exquisite.
Quietly he told them to help themselves to some fresh coffee.
When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the old professor quietly cleared his throat and began to patiently address the small gathering.
"You may have noticed that all of the nicer looking cups were
taken up first, leaving behind the plainer and cheaper ones. While it is only natural for you to want only the best for yourselves, this is actually the source of much of your stress-related problems."
He continued: "Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to
the coffee. In fact, the cup merely disguises or dresses up what we drink. What each of you really wanted was coffee, not a cup, but you instinctively went for the best cups. Then you began eyeing each other's cups.
"Now consider this: Life is coffee. Jobs, money, and position in
society are merely cups. They are just tools to shape and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not truly define nor change the quality of the life we live.
Often, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that God has provided us. God brews the coffee, but He does not supply the cups. Enjoy your coffee!"
The happiest people don't have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have...
Cheryl, you are so right about what you wrote here. I am thinking about that daily is it worth all I am going through to have some of the nicer things or would I be better home and just getting by without all the extra's it really does make you stop and think. And this story today really has made me think a lot I am not sure what I am doing and maybe it is because of how I have been feeling.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chicken soup and chocolates.... You are the best and you sure know how to make someone feel better. Hugs!!!!!!
I really needed to read this today! Thanks as always for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteWhy is it we're always so hesitant to listen to that still small voice inside? Do we ignore it to do what we want? Or do we think with our heads and not with our instincts and hearts? Sometimes you just know that you know that something is right or wrong, and there's no explaining it. You just have to go with it.
ReplyDeleteHUGS Brenda and Julie!
Think I have read this once or twice, but it bears repeating; really needed to hear it again today. (the editor in me never lets up==I would change it to a cup of tea or chocolate! LOL)
ReplyDeleteThis is so great Cheryl! I really needed it today.
ReplyDeleteHow true! This was a nice post - thanks for sharing!
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