A Buddhist monk asked his students — If you’re carrying a cup of coffee and someone bumps into you, why did you spill the coffee?

Each and every one of his students said because someone bumped into me.

No, he said, the reason why you spilled the coffee is because that’s what you were carrying in your cup. If you were carrying water, you would have spilled water.

Then he said something profound.

Whenever life shakes you, whatever you’re carrying is going to spill out. So if you’re carrying fear, jealousy, anger, greed, that’s what’s going to spill out.

But if you’re carrying love, compassion, kindness, 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?

Thich Nhat Hanh