Words of Wisdom from the Office:

Grounds for Thought

by Aaron Jubar

OK. They’ve fixed the light above my desk and I can actually see what I’ve been highlighting on the report in front of me. Now my drab world is vividly apparent to me. The office is much brighter and I’m more awake and increasingly aware of my surroundings. A stack of patiently waiting papers tilts precariously to one side. Pop rings cover the mouse pad in a myriad of light brown circles. With the light shining above me, I am now able to peer inside my coffee cup. I am not pleased with the results of my query. At the bottom, I am greeted by a lump of what appears to be top-soil. I’m not talking about a few grounds here, I’m talking about ‘clench your teeth to strain the stuff’ coffee. This java makes Starbucks taste watered down.

Bill, one of my Canadian co-workers, drives from Windsor every morning and is usually the first to arrive. A hockey fanatic and family man, Bill makes the initial pot of coffee. I wonder, as I stare into the obsidian colored goo, if he uses a filter? With a grimace, I continue drinking the sludge -- not necessarily because I want it, but because I need it.

Until about two weeks ago, you couldn’t pay me to drink coffee -- especially the lame grade stuff they serve at my current place of employment. Sure, I’d go to an expensive coffee-house every once in a while for a cappuccino (when I felt egotistic), but as far as daily drinking, I was always repulsed.

Now, thought, things have changed. I get my morning fix every day of the week. It’s something I need, and because I need it, I want it. And what Bill’s coffee lacks in taste, it makes up for in octane. Bill's coffee packs a punch!

What We Need vs. What We Want

Oftentimes, what we need and what we want are two entirely different things. I tend to think of things we need as those few basic items that help us make it through the day: food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and of course, toilet paper. The list can go on and on, depending upon who you talk to, yet if you really stop and think about it, our needs are actually quite basic.

As humans, we have the habit of misconstruing our needs to the point that we believe they are our wants. We say things like, “I want a burger,” which actually may mean we need food. On the other hand, we might say, “I need a beer,” which may mean we’re thirsty. However, the general implication is that we aren’t trying to fulfill a need, but rather, a want.

So, is it wrong to say that we "want" something? Is it wrong to desire more than food, clothing and shelter? Of course not. Yet these things should never be the "ends" for which we strive, but rather a by-product of our success in moving toward a more worthy goal. For instance, if I work hard, toiling away like a good little troll, I will be rewarded with more pay and an office located above-ground. My reason for working hard, though, should come from a desire to achieve self-actualization.

Whether or not I ever receive that promotion, or the office in the sunlight, should have little or no bearing on the quality of work I perform. I apologize for the cliche, but ask yourself this: What would Jesus do? Would Jesus slack off because his cubicle had no windows and icicles were hanging from his computer monitor? Would Jesus be thinking, "What's in it for me?" My answer, to either question, is "I don't think so!"

One Particular Need

One "need" which we all must eventually have fulfilled is to be loved and to return love. At first, this need may seem a little ethereal when compared to such tangible things as food and shelter. Yet, many times, "love" is what gets us through the day. "Love" is what spurs us on when all the high-octane coffee in the world has failed. "Love" is what gives meaning to so much of life's drudgery and toil. I read quote once that went something like this: "Love doesn't make the world go 'round, it's what makes the ride worthwhile."

We all need people to care for us, to love us, and to cherish us. At the same time, it’s a feeling we need to reciprocate. For in such reciprocity, we can all get our daily fix.

Speaking of fix, I think I’ll pour another cup of Bill’s coffee.

Life Applications:

How do you differentiate between your needs and wants?
Is your life dictated by wants rather than needs?
Could YOU drink Bill’s coffee without a defibulator on hand?

Copyright 2001 by Aaron Jubar
All rights reserved.