Story about happiness: Life is like a cup of coffee

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers as top managers in their firms got together to visit their old university professor. It did not take too long for the conversation to turn into complaints about stress at 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. Some were porcelain, some plastic, others glass or crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite. After each of them took the cup they wanted the most the professor decided to share a thought with them.

“If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups have been 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 the life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. Savor the coffee, not the cups! 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. But most importantly enjoy your coffee!”