The Cup of Life - good lesson

A group of graduates, well established in their careers,

were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit

their old university professor, now retired.

During their visit, the conversation turned to

complaints about stress in their work and lives.

Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went

into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of

hot chocolate and an assortment of cups -

porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking,

some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help

themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said:

'Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were

taken, 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. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing

to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is

just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we

drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate,

not the cup; but you consciously went for the best

cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate;

your job, money and position in society are the cups.

They are just tools to hold and contain life.

The cup you have does not define, nor change the

quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating

only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate

God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate,

man chooses the cups.

The happiest people don't have the best of everything.

They just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply.

Speak kindly. And enjoy your hot chocolate!