Your Coffee Cup

“The smell of coffee was enough to wake up my neighbors. In a display of gratitude, they complained about my music being too loud.” ― Jarod Kintz

Are we in such a state of concern to think a red cup can define our life?

Take the story of group of people, highly established in their beliefs, getting together one day at a favorite Starbucks location to chat. Their conversation soon turned into complaints about their life, society and the plain red holiday cups the Starbucks coffee was served in.

Soon a stranger having overheard their conversation found several older cups on the shelves having more holiday themed designs. He paid for each of the cups filled with coffee and offered them to the group gathered at the table.

Each of the astounded coffee drinkers took the festive cups setting their own drinks to the side. When all of them had their new cup of coffee in hand, the stranger said: "If you noticed, all of the holiday themed cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plain red ones."

He continued by saying, "While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink."

Consider that life is the coffee.

Your jobs, money and position in society are the cups. Your cup might be red, blue, brown, white, black or festive holiday themed. But those cups are just tools to hold and contain life.

The cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.

Many times by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. We enjoy and live for the coffee, not the cups! The happiest of people do not necessarily have the best of everything.

What they do is make the best of everything.

Enjoy your coffee, tea or milk in any cup that is handy. Inside is what matters.

Stay inspired my friends!

Spinning Those Plates

“There are those of us who are always about to live. We are waiting until things change, until there is more time, until we are less tired, until we get a promotion, until we settle down / until, until, until. It always seems as if there is some major event that must occur in our lives before we begin living.” - George Sheehan

From one of my earlier books titled, Change Lives, it seemed a good day to offer a snippet of the story.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was on this particular day he had spent time waiting for the door to open. He always felt good by seeing the light of change shine through the opening. If only for a short time, he was recharged by being so close to possibility but never did he move towards the open door.

Why did he not have the courage to change he asked himself.

A family, home and great job he worked at feverishly. The all consuming job he devoted so much time and energy to. The results of which provided for his family in ways that wouldn't have been possible had he not worked so hard. Everyday he would put in ten to twelve hours, staying ahead of work demands. Slowly earning more and being an integral part of the work place.

As he thought to himself about work, he kept trying to think exactly what it was his family was doing that week. "I have to stay focused," he said to himself in a hushed tone. Too much work to keep up with, have to stay ahead of the curve. Yet something kept nagging him, about his life, about his home and family.

Where had all of the time gone?

As the open door of change closed, the dull fluorescent light of the room returned, he started his way back to the old path. As he walked, a few stones were scattered along the side of the path and an overwhelming feeling of loss began to overcome him. Work weighed heavily upon him but he headed for home. Home, so many unfinished projects greeted him when entering the front door.

The back deck sitting partially completed awaiting those finishing touches. A ceiling joint in need of repair and a broken window to replace were but a few of the items on what seemed a mounting list. Where were his children, his wife and the hum of excitement that he was home. None of them were there. Most days the only excitement they actually had was that he really did come home from work.

Where had all of the time gone?

A list of unfinished projects and even bigger list of failed attention to his family. But work, the work is important he thought. How else could he provide for his family and complete all that needed to be done. Like an old Ed Sullivan Show act of Spinning Plates. The performer kept running from one end to another keeping all of the plates spinning.

His life was like that, always running to keep his life going.

Long days at the office, rushing to get home for a school function or meeting with his wife and friends. Try to get some work done on a home project and do that volunteer stuff at the church. Running and never seeming to get ahead of the wobbling plates. It could his life wasn't all that bad but perception is in the eye of the beholder. Why couldn't people just understand how difficult his life was? Why couldn't people just be more helpful?

He was about to find out just how difficult life was going to become as he walked through his home. This was the beginning of change. Movement was happening and it was pulling him with it.

The plates began to tumble to the floor with a resounding crash.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

What crashes can be repaired, changed into something new and greater.

Just stay inspired my friends!

A Habit Of Kindness

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” ― Jackie Robinson

In our daily life, spreading a bit of cheer and support to to other people can make a big difference in their lives. Whether it be a simple act of encouragement or a smile to brighten the day is an event which can set off a wave of great things.

Not long ago a lady where I work was tasked with giving a presentation in front of senior managers. Being nervous is an understatement for many people who do not normally do this for a living.

I remember my first public presentation many years ago. I had a dry mouth while wondering how it would all turn out. I was mostly hoping to just make it through.

As I spoke to the woman mentioned above prior to the presentation, all I could offer was encouragement and support. I am certain there were others who did the same thing. Her presentation occurred and of course, dry mouth and nerves still existed but she did a great job.

All were happy.

Could she have done this without all of the support and encouragement? Probably, but the act of others believing in her provided another level of confidence. The result was a better presentation as others made an impact and change happened for her.

Change (large or small) occurs in every kind gesture you provide to someone. A door opened for another improves their day and unconsciously the gesture gets passed along through to others. As Scott Adams wrote, "...there is no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”

Make it a habit each day.

Try to perform seven acts of kindness or good will and encouragement each day. Eventually you will do these things by habit every day in your daily walk through life. As the water ripples, let your own kindness carry forth for eternity.

Stay inspired my friends!

Can You Hear

Acoustic listening devices developed for the Dutch army
as part of air defense systems research between World Wars 1 and 2.

"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk." - Doug Larson

There is a young man at a place of business I know who is very talented. So talented that he lets many of those around him know just how talented he is. I give him credit for being quite smart because he is certainly not an unschooled person.

All that schooling can deprive you of one technique - listening.

The importance of listening seems to have evaded him. Many of us know how to hear others but we fail to learn how to listen. Each day this young man would bring his lunch to the table of old men. Their tales and fables fill the noon hour with stories built upon life times of learning.

Learning from life experiences can be gleaned from the most mundane comments.

Some may say it is only old men talking of past glories and failures. Yet the young man competes for the air space of conversation. His 'aged wisdom' tripping over what could be lessons learned. The momentary silence between the talk has to be filled. The loss of what he could learn is immense by not listening.

Is his knowledge not relevant nor important.

Absolutely not as even the young can have insight which defies years of experience. But what one can learn by listening is lost on some. Whether it be the young or the old, we all can learn by ending our talking and by listening. Even at my age, I learn and absorb all that is around me.

The wise old owl sits in a tree at night. You can hear his hoot as he communicates with others. But if you listen carefully, his silence is greater then the sounds he makes. He is listening more than sounding a call.

The way we listen varies from intent absorption to engaged questioning. But anyway you can, listen and learn. You will find out so much more by doing so. In turn, you will find more that can improve life from what you hear.

Stay inspired my friends!