Reflections on the True Meaning of Life
A young woman went to her mother and told her how things
were so hard for her in life. She did not know how she was
going to make it and was tired of fighting and struggling.
It seemed that, 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 a
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 , eggs out , coffee beans out and placed them in a
bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do
you see?” ”Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” the young woman
replied. The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel
the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then
asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the
shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her
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 – 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. 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?” the mother asked her daughter. “When
things are difficult , 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? 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 flavour.
If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get
better and change the situation around you to come out of
trouble . When the hours are the darkest and trials are their
greatest, do you elevate to another level in life ? Are you a
carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
were so hard for her in life. She did not know how she was
going to make it and was tired of fighting and struggling.
It seemed that, 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 a
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 , eggs out , coffee beans out and placed them in a
bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do
you see?” ”Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” the young woman
replied. The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel
the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then
asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the
shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her
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 – 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. 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?” the mother asked her daughter. “When
things are difficult , 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? 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 flavour.
If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get
better and change the situation around you to come out of
trouble . When the hours are the darkest and trials are their
greatest, do you elevate to another level in life ? Are you a
carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?
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