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A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots wit n 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? 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 changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the 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 the 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 we all be COFFEE!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Car on
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I have never heard this parable before. I love it! I am sure I have reacted in all three ways, but I do want to strive to be more like coffee all the time!! Thanks for the post!
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Permalink Reply by Ellen Burns on
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I have never heard of this either, and I think I will have to take some time to figure out which I am... I agree with Sarah, I definitely like to think I'd strive to be the Coffee but, sometimes you just feel like a Carrot. Or Egg... [That one commercial just came to mind. Sometimes you feel like a Nut LOL] Regardless, I really like this!! Thanks :)
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Permalink Reply by April Peters on
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Wow. Love this. I am a little of everything - depends on the day. ;)
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Permalink Reply by Dominique Cleopatra on
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Wow, I'm making coffee right now, must be synchronicity. I'll think of "becoming as the beans" as I savor the aromatic brew. Gives new meaning to the term "Bald as a Bean."
Thanks Cheryl, keep the parables and words of wisdom coming!
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Permalink Reply by Cheryl, Co-founder on
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I personally do not drink coffee... but this kind of makes me want to :).
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Permalink Reply by Rose Marie' on
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Wonderful. Yes, may we all be COFFEE....:)
Rosy
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Amen to that!
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I think this site is full of coffee! Each member comes and shares their experiences with the next and by doing so changes the existence of others. Sometimes it takes more beans than one to make a pot ;)
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