Stress and the Superficial
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. The conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive and some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the chocolate.
After all the students had a cup of chocolate 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 but 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 chocolate. In most cases, it's just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink."
"What all of you really wanted was chocolate, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups...and then began eyeing each other's cups."
"Now consider this: Life is the chocolate, and the jobs, houses, cars, things, 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 chocolate God has provided us."
"God brews the chocolate, not the cups . . . enjoy your chocolate."
Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections. Live in peace and peace will live in you.
(Dog and kitten: No stress - Happy with their role in life)
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