J.R. emailed me this yesterday, after a rough, stressful day and it really put a lot of things into perspective for me, so I wanted to share...
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 others 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.
Lately I have been so stressed about getting things done and worrying about things that would better our lives..but I realized all of those things do not deserve as much attention and worry as I have given them. I really have lost track of what is really important in life..I have a wonderful husband, who I am grateful came into my life and each day makes my life better. I have a wonderful family who is always there for me and loves me uncondionally. I am so blessed with many friends who have always been there for me and still continue to be. I lose sight of those things in my quest to find the 'bigger and better' things in life. I only want the best for JR and I and the people who are in our lives, but sometimes forget about the things I already have, and take those things for granted. I hope everyone can find a place in their busy lives and enjoy their "hot chocolate" as I have.
~Dustie~
