Life | Wisdom | Spirituality | Awakening
Are You A Carrot, Egg or Coffee Bean?
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. In the first pot, she placed carrots, in the second pot she placed eggs and in the last pot she placed ground coffee beans.
She let them sit and boil without saying a word. In about twenty minute 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 another bowl. Then she ladled the coffee also into a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what do you see?”
The daughter replied, “Carrots, eggs, and coffee.”
The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, “Mother, what’s the point?”
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity… boiling water – but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak, it had changed. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after being through the boiling water, its inside became hardened, it had also changed. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water!
“Which one are you?” she asked the daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”
You have to take a moment and ask yourself this: Which one 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, a kind heart but after a hardship like death, a break up, a financial hardship, or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look hard, well-shaped and beautiful, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, the coffee bean releases its fragrance in the air and gives its flavor to the water, and by doing so it transforms the situation. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you don’t get affected by external circumstances, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hours are the darkest in your life and trials look like big mountains do you elevate to another level?
How do you handle adversity? Maybe it is time to change your perspective, because by doing so, you will create another reality for yourself!
ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?
Maintaining our perspective on things helps us overcome adversity even if we struggle.
“When it rains it pours.
Maybe the art of life is to convert tough times to great experiences:
We can choose to hate the rain or dance in it.” – Joan F. Marques
I’ll go with the “dancing in the rain”; or in this case, I will drink the coffee!
Story Contemplation
“Are You A Carrot, Egg or Coffee Bean?”. Τhe carrot, egg or coffee bean is a story about perspective, adversity, and how you see and deal with the things that happen in your life.
There are two sides to every coin, everyone has their story to tell, your perception is your reality. So many times we get caught up in our own dilemmas and drama that we forget that many of our own truths that we subscribe to are based on our point of view; our perspective. You cannot choose what you will be called to see and deal with, but you can certainly choose how you will see it, how you will perceive it and how you will deal with it, what will be your attitude towards the situation. Your attitude will determine the outcome and the outcome will shape your future. Change your attitude to how you see things and your life will automatically change!
Sometimes what appears to be strong
may be softened by the circumstances.
And sometimes what appears
to be liquid and go with the flow
may become solid and difficult to move
but in order to avoid these outcomes
one must be unaffected by nothing
and give their “fragrance” to everything!You have to change your perspective.
Perspectives influence decisions.
Decisions shape realities!Changing your Perspectives,
Changes your Experience!Can you see your psychological prison,
which leads you to choose
or react out of self habit?Break free from recycled reactions,
Awakening Teachings《覺醒教導》
behaviors and solutions!