mr chiang told me this story.
it goes like this...
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.
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 and placed them in a bowl.
She pulled out the eggs and placed them in a bowl.
Then she ladled the coffee into a cup.
Turning to her daughter,
she asked "Tell me, what do you see?"
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," the daughter replied.
The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots.
She did and noted that they were soft.
Her mother then asked her to take an egg and break it.
After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.
Finally her mother asked her to sip the coffee. T
he daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked "What does it mean?"
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.
i thought this was a pretty inspiring story.
i asked myself.
when adversity comes knocking on my door, how would i respond?
would i be a carrot?
an egg?
or a coffee bean?
would i be like the carrot?
which seems strong.
but with pain and adversity.
do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
or would i be like the egg?
which starts with a malleable heart.
but changes with the heat.
would I have a fluid spirit, but after some problems, hardship, etc.
become hardened and stiff?
my shell MIGHT 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?
which actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain.
When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavour.
=)
mr chiang said.
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, you elevate to another higher level.
and then, i asked myself this.
how do i handle problems?
would i be the egg?
the carrot?
or the coffeebean?
