Keeping It In Perspective: Coffee Cups

ABOUT THIS POST...
I came across a great post from a commenter who calls herself The Hobbits. One bizarre thing about blogging is how often the connections I make are random. In many ways that’s been a highlight of blogging for me over the last couple years because I'm so very often surprised by who actually stops by, and even more so by those who are courteous enough to say hello. A couple have become friends, which is even more special. Like so many, I was not able to determine much about this commenter, but I did leave a return thanks on The Hobbits’ blog. One thing I can tell from the user profile and from stats on Google Analytics is this individual is from Thailand and appears to have a faith in God, or atleast an interest in posting about God. So here's the question... in the big picture does it matter if a tangible connection is made? I of course would enjoy knowing this person's story, situation and perspective, but The Hobbit’s blog is rather sparse at the moment. But as a fellow believer, I'm just appreciative for the connection, so I could share the follow post with you all. Thank you Hobbit, whoever you are. I (we?) would all love to hear from you. Thanks for sharing such an insightful post.

OKAY, NOW HERE’S THE POST...
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.

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: 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.”

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

( via the The Hobbits )