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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 when 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 this mean, mother?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity... boiling water. 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. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting in the boiling water, its insides became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After being 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 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 changed the hot water, the very circumstance that brought the pain in the first place. When the water got hot, the beans released their fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst; you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
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Comments
CHINYERE NWOSU | Aug 28th, 2007
wonderful and inspiring short story. i still have to think about it deeply
Egg cms-cierra-t | Sep 7th, 2007
i think im an egg because i have a malleable heart,fluid spirit a break up.
i became harden and stiff,
but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
egg cms-yesenia-a | Sep 7th, 2007
i think i am the egg because i am bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart.
Reflection Nikki Allison | Sep 8th, 2007
What a terrific story for reflection. It's just too bad that I didn't read it last year when i really had to decide whether to be a carrot, egg or coffee. What a creative correlation.
erin burnley | Sep 8th, 2007
I think im a coffe bean and a egg, because like i change in different enviroments..but i also am different inside and out. like i can be nice on the outside but on the inside i really am having a bad day..
Erin
egg cms-christina | Sep 9th, 2007
I think that i am an egg and a coffee bean and an egg,a coffee bean because i can change between alot of different eviroment. Then i alos think that i'm an egg because i can look like i'm ok on the outside but i could really be depressed or just having a bad day on the inside.
Allison McLean | Oct 22nd, 2007
I really like this story. It sounds like something you'd read to a child to inspire them.
Jenny Mason | Oct 23rd, 2007
The message of this story is so beautifully simple. Our perspective plays a crucial role in determining our own results!
im a carrot cms-kayla-migliore | Nov 5th, 2007
Im a carrot because When i first go to school i act like im all that so that the kids are not mean to me. Once the year goes by i meet people that are cool and popular but aren't all tuff and know how to fight. My friends here are caring with the exception of one in particular person. Almost all of my friends care about how im feeling that day and if im happy they make me happier and if im sad they are there for me and try to chear me up. I love my friends!!!
JotheJoker | Nov 13th, 2007
wow, that is reeally cool. where did you hear that?
wow! uzoma emmanuel | Nov 23rd, 2007
That's the most i can say, WOW! This piece is inspiring and if the truth must be told i know i am the coffee. I don't let situations change me but i change every unfavorable situation. Thanks for that piece. Do write some more.
wow! uzoma emmanuel | Nov 23rd, 2007
That's the most i can say, WOW! This piece is inspiring and if the truth must be told i know i am the coffee. I don't let situations change me but i change every unfavorable situation. Thanks for that piece. Do write some more.uzzy
Nice one Rosemary | Nov 25th, 2007
i agree all the way. infact, there is no such thing as a hopeless situation, there are only people who think hopelessly. Thanks for that piece.
Nice one Rosemary | Nov 25th, 2007
i agree all the way. infact, there is no such thing as a hopeless situation, there are only people who think hopelessly. Thanks for that piece.
Thought Provoking ScottW | Nov 29th, 2007
Meaningful, deep, and soulful, makes one look inside themselves.
Thought Provoking ScottW | Nov 29th, 2007
Meaningful, deep, and soulful, makes one look inside themselves.
ScottW | Nov 29th, 2007
Meaningful, deep, and soulful, makes one look inside themselves.
PLEASE HELP ME bingo10 | Dec 30th, 2007
i have this visivon of writing articles and food for thougths please help me on how ishould go about it
Muqing Zhou | Jan 7th, 2008
This is a great story - I love the metaphors of the carrot, egg, and coffee beans!
thank you! gidge | Jan 11th, 2008
it was a lovely story.Thank you for inspiring me. Godbless!
Nice One Nuhman Aljani | Feb 12th, 2008
Thank you for sharing this story. Indeed, it is one that is worth reflecting for.
Thanks for sharing. Tosin Olowoyeye-Taiwo | Mar 27th, 2008
that was beautifulll and highly inspriational.
I love the concluding part
" May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches."
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Rex Seigler | Mar 31st, 2008
I was very impressed by this story, so much so, that I shared it with the faculty, staff and students at my junior high school.
I try to teach with a theme that encourages young people to think outside themselves.
I think that a link to this story will be included in my favorites list for a long time.
Rex
Wonderful pavanaja | Jun 27th, 2008
Thats a real objective of a story telling....mssage conveyed ...simply great
Wise Qilan | Jul 3rd, 2008
It's a simple story that makes things clear in life!
A Favorite Paul Yox | Jul 4th, 2008
I never would have imagined what those three things have in common untin i read the ending. Great story with a great message for all to contemplate.
Great! Achamukong Kevin | Aug 14th, 2008
This is creativity, a work of art that one will hardly expect from a Chemist. Keep on. Let the world know that we are not all about protons, electrons and neutrons.
feeling lucky! soofia | Aug 20th, 2008
Just tumbled upon this site and signed in to feel it. This is the first story I am reading and loved it. I think I have been all three at different times in my life. Hmm ... still thinking!
Anyway happy to have signed up. This must be my lucky day!
Parable Valerian | Aug 15th, 2010
I was just curios to see why so many stars highlight the story and I was rewarded. I will definitely share this surprisingly inspiring parable with my high-school students. A lucky day when I come across some nice thing like this one.
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