Life is like a cup of coffee

I just read a short story on how life is like a cup of coffee. It went something like this. A group of alumni, well respected in there chosen profession, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversations soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guest coffee, the professor went back into the kitchen, and returned with a large pot of coffee. He also brought back an assortment of cups. Porcelain , paper, plastic, glass, and crystal, some plain looking some expensive, and some were exquisite. He told his guests to help themselves to the coffee.

After everyone had a cup of coffee in there hands, the professor said: If you notice, all the nice expensive looking cups have been taken, leaving behind the cheaper looking ones. While it is normal for you to want the nicer things for yourselves. That is the source of your problems and stress. Rest assured that the cup 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 went for the best cups and then you began eying each others cups, to see who had the nicest one.

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 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, do not have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything. Live simply, Speak kindly, care deeply, love generously.

That is some of the best advice that I have heard. It really hit home when I read it. It never fails, I always hear or see or meet the person I need too, at the exact time I need. Life has always been funny that way. When ever we need something, all you need to do is stop and listen. Slow down a little bit, nothing is really that important. The world is not going to end. I learned a few years ago that I was really not that important.

I was building 3 homes at the same time, completely stressed out of my mind. The world was moving at a blinding speed, everything was out of focus. I did the only thing I thought that
I could do, I left the country. I went to Costa Rica for a few weeks. It was the best thing that I ever did. The first few days I gave myself ulcers worrying over my business. Worrying that I would lose customers, that production would slow down and the home owners would be very upset. I even thought that maybe the houses would catch on fire or a huge wind storm would knock all of the walls over. I know pretty silly. But that is how you think when you are stressed out, and life is racing in front of you and you are always trying to catch up.

While down there this amazing thing happened, NOTHING HAPPENED. I know, crazy right. The world did not stop turning, no freak wind storm or fires, my job sites went just fine. It was then that I realized that I was really not that important. It was very liberating. So when things start moving to fast, just remember to not take yourselves to seriously and slow down and ENJOY THE COFFEE!!

KIDS

I woke up yesterday and the sun was shining brightly there was fresh snow on the ground, it was going to be a great day. I decided to take the family out snowmobiling. When we go we load up all of the snowboards and tubes and we drag it all up the mountain. We grab a bunch of snacks for the kids and off we go. It is usually a wonderful and blissful time. NOT TODAY!!!! First off we got our truck stuck trying to pull the trailer out of the driveway. Not a problem, I go to the garage grab the tire chains and off we go. We had to fuel up, ourselves and the snowmobiles, so 2 hours later we arrive at the trail head. We finally get going up the trail and after my kids getting stuck in the snow a few times we finally get to the top of Hoyt's peak. Good times, or so I thought. The kids were driving me crazy, after snowboarding and tubing down the hill once they were ready to go home. I had to basically force them to ride the snowmobiles. After all of that effort and money and time they wanted to leave. It really bothers me. They begged me for new snowboards. They have begged for a new snowmobile. Then after one run they are whining and crying and ready to go home, seriously what gives? I am very frustrated with them, what do you do? I was more then happy to give them rides to the top of the peak all day long. I even jumped on the tubes and sled all the way down the hill just laughing away. I do not understand, why do people beg for something and the moment they get it they are "ready to go home".

Needless to say the rest of the night was miserable. I was frustrated and definitely not in any mood to be happy, I know happiness is a choice. It is very hard to be happy when you are upset!!! Sorry for the little rant, I am so ready to live my life and at times I feel like life is slipping away. So, what do you do when life rears its ugly side, and the blues set in?

Life and Money

A friend of mine stopped by for lunch today. He has been going through a little bit of a rough patch. All of it totally self inflicted, but rough none the less. You see, he his a general contractor who his getting his home repossessed. He built more house then he can afford, it is a great home but how many people can really afford million dollar homes and still have a life. He started talking about what he did wrong. It is amazing how perfect hindsight is, lol. We decided that the one mistake that kept coming out was every time he sold his home he would always build a bigger one. If he was smart he would have built the same size and lowered his payment each time. It was a little depressing but we did the math and he could have paid cash for his last home, if he would have built the same 3000 square foot home. I guess the lessen we learned was, do not upgrade!! Be happy with the things that you have and try not to want for more.