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.

38.0K Reads

Posted by Popat
Oct 24, 2007
Comments (35)

Readers Comments

smoothsugardoll wrote: What a great way to share. I loved your story. There's so much truth in it. It really touched home.

upwiththesun wrote: I will be sharing this wonderful illustration with my kids at my church. What a blessing you have been to me today! Thank you

rockl35 wrote: Loved your story! What a way to share a philosophy of life.

Julia wrote: Thank you for sharing this story. It is the answer that I needed to understand something I'm going through
Have a Great day!

tsholokie wrote: wow am blessed!you really made my day,only if people can realiz this then the world will be a better place and well be able to enjoy lyf.thanx

Glitterz wrote: "Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy your hot chocolate." Too bad this wouldn't fit on a bumper sticker! Wonderful story.

Ayesha wrote: cheers to our hot chocolates!
thank u very much

oliver ngwuli wrote: the write hit the nail on his head .We are all crazy things that are urgent but not important .Without life all hopes are gone

greeneyes wrote: This is a story we must never forget. So true, so uplifting and gives you many things to think on and ponder about what is really the important things in life. Thanks so msuch for sharing.

akbj wrote: Whoa! I need to always remember this illustration of a wonderful principle. Hot chocolate is what we want, not the container. Thank you

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