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 do 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 this mean?”
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?”
Ask yourself this question: 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 coffee bean?
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.
YOU CAN DO THIS!
YOU CAN BE A COFFEE BEAN AND CHANGE THE WORLD AROUND YOU!
JUST MAKE SURE YOU ARE TAKING CONSISTENT DAILY ACTION.
YOU MAKE EVERYTHING AROUND YOU BETTER!
Thanks for commenting on my blog!!! Youre so gorgeous!!! You taken???
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That is an interesting analogy. I think I’m all of them at different times
this is actually the description of life and the human being in general.I love being a human being and not some sought of super human,so i’ll prefer being a carrot,an egg and the coffee beans so as to be able to fit in this human arena.hey,good site!
“It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.”
I heard someone say the other day that “life is a series of crisis’s”. If you are waiting until life gets back to normal, you’ll probably be waiting a long time!
I like this post so much. I must admit that I’m just like a carrot. I’m so weak after hardships. Anyway I’m trying my best to be the coffee bean. I wish I can be like it. Thanks for the post. It reminds me to be tough when I care hardship again. Thanks!
Wish I could say I am always the coffee in the face of adversity, but it wouldn’t be true. I have been all three at different times and will likely continue to cycle through them depending on the circumstance. Thank you for the thought provoking read. As a student psychologist, I won’t forget it.
A very meaningful post. I love this blog so much. Thanks! Actually I play different role in my life.. But i never been like coffee bean.. I always fragile, want to be tough but failed at last.. Anyway I won’t give up.. Thanks for the post = reminder
Marenda,
I absolutely love the carrot, egg, and bean analogy. That’s a new one for me. What a beautiful blog you have and thanks for adding me to your friends.
Peace and prosperity,
Ray
Hi Marenda
Carrot, egg, coffee bean, which am I? I’ll say, I am an egg, I know I’m a strong woman and there are a lot of things that are happening in my life right now, where most of them are problems and trials, but then, with all that, I’m still here standing strong still. ^_^
ahh i’m an carrot, When I facing the hard problem, I will become strong but after I have done everything, I will start telling everyone that I’m so tired of it
Hello Marenda,
What an excellent post! Insightful. Cogent. Profound.
Thank you for caring and sharing. But by grace still go I.
Manchild
I have never heard this analogy but LOVE it! Professionally, real estate is a tough market right now, I am determined not to be the carrot nor be the egg – I will be the coffee! Personally, as the mother of two children, I want my kids to learn to like COFFEE!
This is really an unusual analogy, but it definitely works.If I would have to choose between the egg and coffee bean, I think I will have to go with coffee bean..
If I am to be honest with myself I am more like an object that would go into the water soft and come out softer. Like a paper towel. I don’t handle stress well.
Tri
Now I see why this is one of the most popular post!
Hi, I think i used to be a carrot but now that I’m older, i became an egg. Still hoping to be a bean someday.
I became a bean at the age of 40. I’m not sure what i was before, maybe a little of both egg and carrot.
Very wise words. I am an egg. I will work harder to be a coffee bean.
I guess its in the human nature that we are born like coffe beans? Pushed hard enough everyone reacts to the surroundings in one way or another.
The daughter is really doing just that. Her going to the mother with her problem is her reaction? That is how she colours her surroundings. Great post – thanks.
the daughters going to her mother with her problems is just her “colouring” of the water. Thats her reaction.
Thanks.
Nhange is the thing. Nothing doesnt change…really. Everything is the only thing that doesnt change.Makes sense.
Nice way of putting things….
And i am the coffee bean by the way!!
i think you have to evolve into a bean. Once your are a bean..then life is good.
I should of read this post a week ago. When I needed to be reminded about who I am in spirit.
This is really a great way to do a self-examination. I am glad that I discovered it.
Thanks for sharing this inspirational thought.
Oh and by the way, I discovered that I was a coffee bean in my own way.
Be blessed!
Thanks a lot for such a motivational story..
I try to be the coffee beans in my life but i keep getting sidetracked, i manage to stay positive for a month or so and then slowly i slip into a depression again, without noticing, i like posts like this cos they make you look at yourself and thats good, i remember a book i read at howtobehappy.org and that also makes you feel good.
Thanks for the post
Mick..
oughhh I am a coffe addict
anyway thank you for share
im definitely an egg; i may look weak on the outside but im as hard and tough as a hard boiled egg ;o
-J
I like the story and advice! Good things to think about
.
very interesting and make me deeply think of myself. we will meet everything and we can A Carrot, an Egg or a Coffee Bean at different time, if only we make the correct direction.
Examining your life, your reactions to life, and your resilience to life, is crucial. Stories, parables, and using everyday items in our lessons really helps the brain grasp an image we are supposed to be seeing. Great use of imagery! Congratulations.
Coffee, coffee, coffee! You’re a really super writer and now that I’ve found your blog I’m a regular!
Great blog and wise words! thanks Jules
I would like to think that I would be like the coffee bean but in reality I am probably closer to the carrot in real life!
What a great analogy, it really helps put things in perspective somehow. I think, like a lot of other people, I’m a bit of all three, but I will now strive harder to become a coffee bean.
(not a statement I would ever have expected to make until now!)
Thanks Marenda – you’re right, coffee beans do have the power to change! Not only can they change the color of water, they can change your whole outlook on the day.
I want to be a coffee bean now. It’s be interesting if the mother didn’t have eggs and carrots but instead had bananas and quick lime.
I wonder how her story would have turned out then?
great analogy between the carrot, egg and coffee bean. such an inspiring post.
A terrific analogy that exalts the wonderful coffee bean. The little but mighty coffee bean faces its own share of unique adversity (growing, picking, washing, drying, roasting, grinding, brewing, and then drinking). We should all strive to be coffee beans. Thanks for the thought provoking prespective.
Thats a great analogy, i've never thought about it like that, really deep thoughts, and unique unwrapping of the the coffe bean topic.
Keep it up !
A very clever and original analogy, it's simple yet very relevant and profound , I have the feeling I'm an egg , but I will strive to become a coffee bean.
I'll always remember this story , I really like this , thanks^^
I like this article very much , it's strikes a chord in me. , and also like a lot of people I'm sure I'm more of an egg but strives to be more of a coffee bean.
The only thing that strikes me is that who would ever describe themselves as carrots? I know a lot of people I consider to be carrots but if they don´t realise it, how can they ever change?
Unfortunatelly, I think I´m a carrot, but I´m trying hard not to be. I really admire strong people, and I´m always trying to improve my weaknesses.
Great story! Reminds me of many Buddhist stories – simple story with a deep meaning. Nice.
Great Post, interesting coffee bean story, great analogy.
Yeah, it is very simple, but sometimes you need simple analogys like this one to realize simple things
You've got what it takes to reach the top. You think fair you have good opinion and a lot of informative and very reasonable ideas. Like your page.
I guess coffe beans are not many. Most people are carrots when pressed hard enough – sadly that is why people are so stressed all the time…we should learn to relax and learn that the world is not always working with us…
cappucino is the best..especially if using arabica coffee
Coffee beans are very interesting… Enjoyed the read! Thanks