A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...Maybe with
this you will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about
her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she
was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting
and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three
pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to
boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and
in 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 burners.
She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the
eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and
placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what 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 observed the hard boiled egg. 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. Each 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. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior,
but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After
they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
this you will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about
her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she
was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting
and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three
pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to
boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and
in 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 burners.
She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the
eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and
placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what 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 observed the hard boiled egg. 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. Each 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. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior,
but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After
they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When
adversity knocks on 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 lose
my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but
changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a
breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become
hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter
and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually
adversity knocks on 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 lose
my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but
changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a
breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become
hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter
and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually
