a carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee
A young woman went to her mother and told her about how her life was so hard for her, she did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen, there she filled 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 in the third she placed ground coffee beans.
She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. After a while she turned off the stove and placed the carrots and eggs each in a bowl, pouring the coffee into a third bowl. Then placed all three bowls infront of her daughter.
"Tell me, what do you see?"
"Carrots, eggs and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell she noted the hardboiled egg within. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity, boiling water and each had reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. It's thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its insides became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" She asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks at your door, how do you respond? Are you 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 loose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I start with a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside I am bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I the coffee bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
So... which are you?
Her mother took her to the kitchen, there she filled 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 in the third she placed ground coffee beans.
She let them sit and boil, without saying a word. After a while she turned off the stove and placed the carrots and eggs each in a bowl, pouring the coffee into a third bowl. Then placed all three bowls infront of her daughter.
"Tell me, what do you see?"
"Carrots, eggs and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell she noted the hardboiled egg within. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity, boiling water and each had reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. It's thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its insides became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" She asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks at your door, how do you respond? Are you 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 loose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I start with a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside I am bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I the coffee bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
So... which are you?