This really makes you think!!! Enjoy

Kinda cool to remember .. . . .

And try to live by


Carrots, Eggs & Coffee

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of
coffee the same way again.

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. She filled three pots with water and
placed each on 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?

Am I the egg that starts 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 coffeembean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The
brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go
forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was
smiling.. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling
and everyone around you is crying.

RIGHT NOW I FEEL LIKE THE CARROT, BUT WANT TO BE THE COFFEE ;O)

Susan,

Where did you get that? It is priceless. Perfect. Describes the caregiver's choice better than I have ever heard. Do you know who wrote it? I'd love to use it in my book, but can't without an author to credit.

joang

That is neat! Thank you.

Joan I researched it-and author is unknown

I agree - Susan you may think you are the carrot, but I think you are coffee. You come out with so much love and compassion for those two boys, your mother and your dear husband - you are coffee (or a good soothing herbal tea). You like your wine - just think what has to happen to make wine. You are a fine wine.

Let's all of us eggs get together and make an omelet!!

I guess in a way when we put up the wall to separate the emotions to become caregivers we become the egg. But, as time goes we also can become the coffee.

Hey gals, we're hard boiled....no omelet....how about egg salad? <grin>

I really try to make the most of everything that happens and even though I've definitely been knocked down, I'm determined to keep getting back up and to keep my attitude cheery......I'm striving to become coffee.....perk, perk. perk

I am sitting here drinking my carrot juice, eating hard boiled coffee, and chewing on eggshells so I can walk on them easier.