Savored coffee

I was agog at the arrival of summer and expectantly enjoy the heat while at outdoor happenings. To my dismay, the supposedly dry and sunny summer turns strange. In most days a heavy rain pours at any moment with the usual frightening thunder which gives me the feeling of being like home.

Remembering the rainy season, when heavy rain or typhoon hits our place and all works or school cancelled, all I have to do is pretty sleep all hours long. Neither makes a hot drink and sits with feet held high as I watched the endless raindrop.

In the village where my grandparents used to stay, wet or dry season, humid or chilly, you are mostly ended up taking (brewed, no instant) coffee. No ice cold drinks or beverages. My stayed there during visits long years ago give me a thought which now I know it’s merely wrong. I was miss lead by the conclusion; maybe they drink coffee every now and then because it is the very least thing to do. That brings smile to the kiddy reasoning I was before without knowing how efficient and helpful to them coffee was.

While embracing the early chill of winter or may it be an after shock of that recently horrible winter and as we’re being amazed by the spectacular Beijing Olympics opening performance with lot sips of tea, I am being captivated with the message of this eye-opener short story of savory coffee.

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A group of alumni, highly 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 soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives.

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 alumni had a coffee in hand, the professor said: “Notice that all of 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, which is the source of your problems that causes stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and 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, your job, money, and positions in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life.

The type of cup one has does not define, nor change the quality of life a person lives. Sometimes by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.”

God makes the coffee, man chooses 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.
(Taliba)