By N.K.A. Ballal, Retd. Sr. Vice-President, ITDC
A group of alumni, highly established in their own careers, got together to visit their old University professor. Conversation 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 and some expensive, some even exquisite. He then told them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in their hand, the professor said, “Did you notice, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to have the best for yourself, that is the source of your problem and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases the more expensive the cup, it mostly 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 others’ cups.”
Now consider this. Life is the coffee. The job, 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. So enjoy your coffee. The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have… Live simply, love generously, speak kindly and leave the rest to God. And let others enjoy life too.
What a profound statement on life, explained so simply. The professor explained to his students the real meaning of life. Do try this experiment with your friends and relatives at home, the result would always be same. People always would try to grab the best and the most expensive cup little realising that it really adds no taste to the coffee. If the coffee is bad, the most expensive cup is worthless and if it is good it would taste excellent even in a paper cup too.
Have you noticed that relatives who give expensive gifts are always welcomed with open arms rather than relatives who give meaningful gifts like a lovely card with a lovely message. Money speaks!
A visit to any temple is noteworthy to prove the above point. That coffee is important and not the cups. Vip and vvips come in hordes, do not want to stand in queue, get pampered by the priests who are ready to do anything as long as they get their dakshine. The vvips forget the real purpose of coming to temple is to pray to God and not show off their influence or money power. But that is what they do. Stand in front of the deity with garlands and shawl around their own necks!
Life (which itself is a gift of God) is meant to be enjoyed but we become so engrossed in meaningless and mundane things that we forget to enjoy life. If one just sits down and makes a list of things one does everyday, the result would be shocking. The same “routine” is done day in and day out for days, weeks, months and sometimes years too. Ninety percent of our lives we live by following a routine and only about ten percent is done differently which gives us the pleasure and joy. Like going on a holiday with family or hiking etc. Since one has to live and for that one has to earn too, it is not possible to get away from the routine but the man who is able to change the equation and make things differently for at least twenty percent of his life is more happy and joyful.
Look at the world with positiveness and you will be surprised how things will change for better. Learn to enjoy the coffee and not to bother about the type of cups.
Wonderful & meaningful