#047 A CUP OF COFFEE




A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. 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 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.
Resultado de imagen para different cups plastic porcelain
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. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups."

"Now consider this," he continued...
"Life is the coffee. The jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, and 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."
God brews the coffee, not the cups...
Enjoy your coffee!
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything.
They just make the best of everything they have."
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply.
Speak kindly... and leave the rest to God.


Comments

  1. Ch21 March 2018 at 02:04

    This is one of the most interesting reflection story that I have heard since I was a child when my father told me, although at that time I didn't understand it well, now I understand perfectly. This beautiful story was created to understand that most people's vision is erroneous. As this story clearly shows, people see the superficial side, the visible part, not in the real sense or deep meaning.
    Some people might think differently, for instance, that the visual impression helps you enjoy the coffee.
    So, If you have everything you need as you have wished, it would probably be the best, however, it's just another way you see life.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous14 April 2018 at 08:38

      Indeed, I consider you got the point Chachi, most of people are superficial, and in some cases what it contains is worse than the others, I think your lines explain profoundly the essence of the moral of this story.

      Delete
  2. Unknown21 March 2018 at 14:57

    I have always thought that things happen through something, this is a way of living accepting the things that happen to you and not suffering for them. If you spend time worrying about material and professional things, you will not enjoy your life or the people who come to it, so I do not say that you want to have a good life, a good job or travel luxuries, but if it is wrong, just focus in it this evil.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous14 April 2018 at 08:39

      I don't get the last part Cindy, I mean what do you mean by saying "just focus in it this evil"?

      Delete
  3. Unknown21 June 2018 at 10:35

    I agree with that reflection, but not everyone thinks in that way. I believe that life is short and it is one, God gives you a way of life and you just have to know how to take it is not always worry about the material or to lead a long life full of luxuries, Well, in some cases, people with having these things they believe that they lead a quiet and economic life, but that is what one gets to understand by just comparing them with others and not, that is not what you define your quality of life, things and money come with effort only You must know how to take them. life is short and you have to enjoy it as it is coming and enjoy the best that one has.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 July 2018 at 07:13

      Yes Leonardo, as you said people who have richness believe that it is everything in life but it doesn't give you happiness.

      Delete
  4. Diego Landa Castro7 July 2018 at 16:24

    this history have an important message, much people just see the superficial side of the life and forget enjoy it, they only think get big house, many expensive cars and how to earn more money and they dont understand that this isn't going to give happiness. the more important isn't material but many people don't understand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11 July 2018 at 07:17

      Right Diego, this story has a meaningful message, many people spent all their life looking for money and happiness, as if they necessarily have a connection, we can't but happiness, the most important thing is to enjoy you life with what God has given us. :)

      Delete
  5. NicoleShe15 February 2020 at 14:25

    I really love this reflection because it shows the reality of what we usually do day by day, in the case of "pretend". I mean that we really want to pretend that we live a perfect life by hiding the true and besides that we feel happy because we have the best job as a result we make good money moreover the best house and a nice car however they are still paying for them so we are losing the meaning of life, actually I understand that is not important what the people tend to say about anything, it is our life and we must understand the purpose of why we are here is to succeed and make people appreciate the value of life.
    N

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