Life often serves as the great equalizer, throwing unexpected challenges and disruptions our way. Just like the familiar scenario of holding a cup of coffee, we find ourselves holding the cup of life, and the inevitable bumps and jostles will cause its contents to spill. But have you ever pondered why you spill what you do?
Let’s delve into an enlightening analogy that sheds light on our reactions during life’s unpredictable moments. Imagine clutching a cup of coffee, when suddenly someone collides with you, causing the coffee to splatter everywhere. If your immediate response to why you spilled the coffee is, “Because someone bumped into me!” – you’re in for a twist.
The truth is, you spilled the coffee not solely because of the collision, but because coffee was in your cup. Had it been tea, tea would have spilled. The crux of the matter is that whatever resides within the cup is what will inevitably spill out when life rattles you.
So, when the inevitable upheavals occur, what spills over from you? Is it an overflow of joy, gratitude, peace, and humility? Or do anger, bitterness, victim mentality, and tendencies to give up taint your reactions?
Life hands us the cup – it’s our choice what we pour into it. When the going gets tough, what do you want to see overflow? Let’s strive to fill our cups with gratitude, forgiveness, affirming words, resilience, positivity, and most importantly, kindness, gentleness, and love for others.
As wisely quoted by Austin Tang, the source of this analogy, let’s consciously work towards embracing virtues that truly nourish our souls and color our interactions with the world. Remember, life will shake us, but the contents we’ve chosen will define the art that spills from within us.
Terry McDaniel 