Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Life is Like Hot Chocolate


--by Popat, posted Oct 24, 2007
A group of graduates, well 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 turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.  Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.  While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate.  In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, 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 hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups.  They are just tools to hold and contain life.  The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life  you have.  Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us.  God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything.  They just make the best of everything that they have.  Live simply.  Love generously.  Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy your hot chocolate.
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Readers Comments

Kepanila wrote: I was trying to look for something that can go with a hot cocoa activity but i couldn't find anything, until i came upon this. I love what is written and its so true and i love it. Thank you for the truth of hot cocoa.
Vicky Madis wrote: All said by professor is so true. Most of us get caught up in this commercial web of wanting just about everything that we forget the simple things in life. We live in a me, myself, and i sociaty and rarely truly care for others, their feelings and their life situation always looking at ourselves and stressing how we can be better than the next guy. Some of us do try to live by the professor's words but sometimes fall of the wagon. Thank you professor for reminding us what is realy important!

Steven Kyeyune wrote: Money, faranga, mbongo, sente, name it, is the craziest cup we run to. One wise man said, "it is one thing to earn the money, and another to enjoy it! " quite often we hold on to the cup and even become insecure with it! Then you wonder whether such a cup is worth owning!


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Henry Mutebe wrote: This story helped me find whats most importnat in life. Its such an amazing story about the realities in life. I think many people are flooded with so manhy things in their lives that they are actually not living but its those things that are living in them. God bless you
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Henry children's home
Iganga, uganda.
karen wrote: There was video with music and pictures of children that went along with this, do you have it?
Susan wrote: I have shared this story with many of my friends and fellow students. My daughter who has since graduated from temple university sent a copy to me that she received from a professor. I am now a graduate student at duquesne university and am sharing it with my professor! Thank-you so much for living life simply and appreciating it abundantly!
Brian Willoughby wrote: Just saw this in a video during a speech by eric chester (generation why? ) motivational speaker. Strong!
Melinda Ryder wrote: Very sweet and very wise. Just like the person who sent it!
Steve wrote: I don`t drink hot chocolate but I have the same coffee cup that my father gave me in 1964. I think of him every time I drink from it!
cassiemeadows wrote: oh thats beautiful. how well written. thats something that i've been thinking about for a long time bu havn't been able to put into words
Have a wonderful day!

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