Thoughts on a thorn over a cup of coffee

Are you an optimist or pessimist?

A cup of coffee can inspire a thought or two. When you pick a rose and your finger is pricked by a thorn, how do you feel? For pain and pleasure are often associated together.


Alphonse Karr (1808 – 1890) French journalist, novelist, and sometimes horticulturalist observed that some are born to grumble in life and complain that roses have thorns..

Some people grumble because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses. Alphonse Karr

As editor of the daily Parisian newspaper, Le Figaro, Karr was known as a bit of a wit, famously saying, "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose" which has come down to us as, "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

Let Shakespeare's Juliet would answer those who are hung up on the finer point of things,

Juliet:
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

That is, unless it's fake.

fake roses do not smell as sweet

Optimist or pessimist, I guess it depends on how we see things, or how that cup of coffee tastes.