Life is like a Cup of Coffee
“Live the life you love. Love the life you live.” –Bob Marley
I’m going to always try to bring ya’ll original posts, but here’s one that I really want to share. I certainly can’t take credit for it and I don’t know who to give credit to, but here’s how I came across it.
Graduation is a pretty exciting time in a young person’s life – new beginnings, new jobs, new friends, etc. But one of the most exciting things a graduate can look forward to is the gifts. I’m not going to lie, and those of you who have been there know, money is the best gift for this occasion. So, I was quite taken aback when my mom handed me this huge gift bag at my graduation dinner. It didn’t weigh much but it was definitely bulky. What could it be?
I immediately looked for the hidden card, completely overlooking the new, well-polished frame that contained some story, typed on fancy stationary that my mom thought was relevant to my life. I’ll be honest; I was more interested in the cold-hard cash. But, my mom, being sneaky and knowing me all too well had hidden the card in her purse.
“Mom, where’s the card?”
“Na uh, little girl, I’m offended. I want you to read that before I give you the card.”
Being the ever obedient child that I am, I read it (and read all of it). After all, my mom had gone out of her way to give me this gift and no matter the monetary value, it’s the thought that counts.
This is what it said:
“A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit one of their old university professors. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal – some plain looking, other expensive and exquisite. He told them to help themselves to the coffee. When all of his former 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 yourself, it is the source of your problems and stress.’
He continued, ‘Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it is more expensive than the coffee itself and in other cases, hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you subconsciously went for the best cups … and then you began eyeing each other’s cups.’
He finished by saying, ‘Consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life. The type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us. The happiest people don’t have the best of everything … they just make the best of everything.’
Live Simple. Love Generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly. Leave the rest to God.”
I don’t really know why I was surprised to receive this gift from my mom for my college graduation – she gave the same thing to my brother two years earlier. I remember reading it at that time and it really meant nothing to me. But, now, knowing that my mom knew it would be relevant in my life makes it all the more special. It hangs in my office as a daily reminder that our attitudes affect us and those around us on a regular basis. It’s simple life lessons like these that make this adventure called life all worthwhile.
""ENJOY YOUR COFFEE & DONT ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT THE CUP-IT"S NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT!! ""
CUP OF COFFEE
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