A young went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how was to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and strunggling. It seemed that as one problem was solved, a now one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filed three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first. She placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burnners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She then puled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladle the coffe out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me,what do you see?"
"Carrots,eggs, and coffe,"she replied.
She brought her closer and asked her to fell the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and breakit. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled eggs. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffe. The coffe. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daugher then asked,"What does it mean, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity-- boiling water-- but each reacted differently. The carrots went in strong, hard and unrelenting. HOwever, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The eggs had been fragils, its inside became hardened. The ground coffe beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling waiter, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are tou a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"
Think of this. Which am i ? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity? Do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that start with a malleable heart, but chenges with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have Ibecome hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?
Or am I like the bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumistance that brings the plain. When the water gets hot, it release the fragrance and flavor of your life. If you are like the bean, When things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation another level?
How do you handle adversity? Are you changed by your surroundings or do ypu bring life, flavor, to them?
ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?