Carrot, Egg or the Cofee Bean!

[Guest guest]

Dear Divine Siblings,

Lately Narayan and myself have been going through some very trying times

wth our house addition. I feel as though this post was sent by Amma,

which has been so timely. I wanted to share the same with all of you. If

you have already seen this, I am sure you will forgive me!

Chandrika

 

The Carrot, Egg , or Coffee Bean

 

A certain daughter complained to her father about her life and how

things have been so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to

make it and she wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and

struggling. It seemed that just as one problem was solved another arose.

 

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen, filled three pots with

water and placed the fire on high. Soon the three pots came to a boil.

In one he placed carrots, in the other he placed eggs, and in the last

he placed ground coffee beans.

 

He let them sit and boil, without saying a word. The daughter sucked her

teeth and impatiently wondered what he was trying to do. She had

problems, and he was making this strange concoction.

 

In half an hour he walked over to the oven and turned down the fire. He

pulled the carrots out and placed them in the bowl. He pulled the eggs

out and placed them in the bowl. Then he ladled the coffee out and

placed it in a bowl.

 

Turning to her he asked. "Darling what do you see?"

 

Smartly, she replied. "Carrots, eggs, and coffee."

 

He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and

noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break

it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Her face frowned from the

strength of the coffee. Humbly, she asked. "What does it mean Father?"

 

He explained. "Each of them faced the same adversity, 212 degrees of

boiling water. However each reacted differently."

 

"The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. But after going

through boiling water, it softened and became weak."

 

"The egg was fragile. A thin outer shell protected a liquid center. But

after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened."

 

"The coffee beans are unique, however. After they were in the boiling

water, it became stronger and richer."

 

"Which are you?" he asked his daughter, "When adversity knocks on your

door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

 

Are you the carrot that seems hard, but with the smallest amount of

pain, adversity, heat you wilt and become soft with no strength?

 

Are you the egg, which starts off with a malleable heart, a fluid

spirit? But after a death, a breakup, a divorce, a layoff, you became

hardened and stiff. Your shell looks the same, but you are so bitter and

tough with a stiff spirit and heart, internally.

 

Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean does not get its peak flavor

and robust until it reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water gets

the hottest, it just tastes better. When things are there worst, you get

better. When people talk the most, your praises increase. When the hour

is the darkest, trials are their greatest, your worship elevates to

another level.

 

How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?