What's in your cup? My cup runneth over

One of my most favourite movie lines is delivered by Gena Rowlands in the movie 'Hope Floats'. As she is tucking her granddaughter Bernice into bed,

Bernice says 'I love you Grandma' and Gena says 'oh oh honey. Honey. My cup runneth over'.

(Even as I type this I feel my throat grow tighter and tears spring to my eyes. Yes I am totally vulnerable to the grandmother/granddaughter relationship).

Not being a religious person it was the first time I had heard this expression. The commonly held meaning of this phrase is I have more than enough for my needs. For me this woman says (and does) so many things in that simple phrase - joy, love, gratitude, appreciation of her darling granddaughter's kindness and character.  And I think Bernice's simple expression of love does indeed fill her grandmother's 'cup'.  In that moment Grandma has all she ever needs.

So what's is your cup?  If your 'cup' represents happiness or love what do you need to fill it - or overflow it even?

Can you list your top five cup fillers? Keep it simple yet specific.

Okay so now you have a list check it again.

• Have you listed your intellectual concepts of what makes you happy? 
• Does this list reflect what has meaning for you today, now, in this very moment? 
• Or is it a representation of you in the past? 
• Do you read your list and feel something? 
• If your list is not moving you then you need to go deeper.

Here is an example of what I mean. The top of my cup fillers list is relationships. But that is too general. I need to list who - family and friends.... No still not specific enough. My daughter. My brother. My friends. Getting closer. I need to list who specifically fills my cup and in what circumstances do I feel stimulated by these relationships. When I do that I have a dynamic and creatively valuable list.  I have the seeds for creation.


So what's in my cup today?

1. My daughter tells me she had 4 treats today and she is wondering why she received them all
2. My friend S and I sitting in Verb cafe, gorgeous surroundings, delicious fresh eggs and great conversation and sharing about our current work projects. Feeling totally met, seen and heard.
3. My brother crying as he begins to tell me about his recent trip to Hiroshima
4. My hairdresser and I laughing as he gossips about the crazy lady who lives next door
5. The excitement in my mother's voice as she describes her first day back at work

I would love to hear what's in your cup .... and I'm pretty sure if you were to leave a comment my cup would runneth over too!

Creativity takes courage - Henri Matisse