12/07/2026
A Buddhist monk asked his students a question: If you’re carrying a cup of coffee and someone bumps into you and you spill some coffee, why did you spill the coffee?
Every one of the students said, “Because someone bumped into me.”
The Monk said, “No, the reason why you spilled the coffee is because that’s what you were carrying in your cup. Now if you were carrying water, you would have spilled water.”
Then he said something profound. He said:
“Whenever life shakes you, whatever you’re carrying is going to spill out. So if you’re carrying fear, jealousy, anger or grief, that’s what’s going to spill out. If you’re carrying love, compassion, kindness or empathy, then that’s what’s going to spill out.
So each and every day you should pause, and think to yourself…
What am I carrying in my cup today?”