Nabil Alhakamy

Your Cup of Coffee and Strychnine

الخميس - 13 يوليو 2023

Thu - 13 Jul 2023



Dear reader, I hope you've had your daily dose of caffeine from your favorite cup of coffee today. And if you haven't, I urge you to prepare your coffee cup before continuing to read this article, with one condition: you don't drink it until you finish reading it.

Do you know what your coffee has to do with "strychnine"?

Jim Rohn, an American entrepreneur, and author, answered this question.

Let's first define what "strychnine" is. It is a colorless, bitter-tasting, deadly poison extracted from the seeds of certain plants, such as “the Strychnos nux-vomica tree.” It is a potent poison that affects the central nervous system, causing muscle spasms and, ultimately, death by asphyxiation. “Strychnine” was used in the past as a pesticide, but due to its extreme toxicity, it is now banned in many countries.

When I was a third-year pharmacy student at King Abdulaziz University, we conducted a scientific experiment injecting strychnine into laboratory mice to study its effects on the body. Its effect was powerful and almost instantaneous.

So, what's the relationship between your coffee and this deadly substance?

The relationship is about "guarding your mind, work, and life."

What if someone put in your coffee, especially the one you just made and haven't drunk yet, as I told you? What if your worst enemy puts "sugar" in your coffee? What would happen if you drank this coffee? The answer is nothing, except that you'll get a tasty and fabulous coffee.

Now, let's ask another question. What if someone, intentionally or unintentionally, put “strychnine” in your coffee, someone from your family, friend, colleague, or someone close to you? What would happen to you, dear reader?

That's why our lives are a mix of "sugar" and "strychnine." So, you must always guard and protect your coffee, whether from your closest ones or your worst enemies.

The relationship between "your coffee and strychnine" reflects on all aspects of our professional and personal lives. We must guard our minds, work, and lives against negative influences, whether intentional or unintentional. The effect has already occurred if the negative impact has already happened, whether from your enemy or your close friend. We should choose the information we receive carefully and be cautious about the people we allow to interact with or influence us.

Be cautious in choosing the people who influence you. The people we spend time with significantly impact our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Choose positive, encouraging, and supportive people.

Sometimes, the people closest to your heart can hurt you more than your worst enemies, even unintentionally.

Dedicating time each day to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is essential. This will help you identify any negative influence, whether actions, words, or ideas, that might affect your life.

So, dear reader, always remembers, before drinking your daily coffee, its relationship with "strychnine."