Each of us reacts differently to the experiences that life throws our way everyday. Some of us struggle to stay positive and find that mishaps and problems drag us down, both mentally and physically. Others thrive on the pressure and even excel when times are tough.How do you approach life? Which end of the scale do you fit on, or perhaps you fall somewhere in the middle?I was reading today an article on the Internet that told a very simple story, yet the meaning behind it was quite profound, so I'd like to share it with you.
A young woman who was struggling with life visited her mother one day and told her the troubles that she was having. She explained how everything was going wrong and that nothing was going her way.Her mother took her into the kitchen and filled three saucepans with water and placed them on the stove. In one she placed a couple of carrots, in the other a couple of eggs and in the third she placed some ground coffee beans.She let the saucepans come to boil while listening to her daughter pour out her troubles. After about 20 minutes, the mother walked over to the stove, turned off the burners, removed the carrots and placed on a plate, took out the eggs and placed in a bowl and then ladled out the coffee and poured it into 2 cups.She brought each across to the table and placed in front of her daughter and asked her "What do you see?" To which the daughter instantly replied "carrots, eggs and coffee".The mother then replied "The boiling water represents trials, suffering and hardships in life. The three ingredients carrots, eggs and coffee beans all responded completely differently. The carrots went into the water hard and strong but came out soft, broken and weak. The eggs were soft, fragile and delicate yet they became hardened inside. The coffee beans were unique as the boiling water brought out the best in them. They released a beautiful aroma and even impacted their surroundings by making the water better and transformed into a delicious cup of coffee, which we can now enjoy together."After they enjoyed the coffee together, the mother turned to the daughter and asked "Are you the carrot, the egg, or the coffee bean?"
And so I ask you, which one are you? Is it time to go have a cuppa and think for a moment how you are reacting to what is happening around you.Featured image courtesy of zirconicusso @ FreeDigitalPhotos
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