Coffee Anyone?
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 and added value to 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?”
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Comments
just makes your day!!! stories like this make you realize that storming all the storms that come to our life gives us a better understanding about our purpose.
This is a truly touching, thought proviking wonderful story. All of us need stories like these to remind us to not give up somewhere dwon the path of life. With he help of simple examples a very well written story.Keep it going!!!!! Thank you!!!
Hi,
Thanks for sharing story with the group memebrs. I really liked the story. It is conveying a simple message in the form of activity. As a result the girl was able to understand what her mother wanted to convey. If mother had tried to explain in words then she may or may not have understand.
Request you to send such more stories which can be used in our day to day life.
The story is really good. But i wonder how well can it be applied to real life as i’m going thru a similar kinda situation. Still… the story was food for thought. It did make me think….!!! Thanks…
Thats a good One I too hav eused this story in counselling & training sessions & its amazing how many different reactions & learnings people get out of this simple yet effective story. Good work SONNIE… GOD BLESS YOU !!!
The story is very reflective! People indeed do respond differently to different adversities in life. The important thing is how have you become after the storm.
Keep the story going. It’s a wonderful teacher. LIFE! LIVE, INSPIRE, FIGHT & ENJOY!
i’ve read this motivating story already twice or more. it really inspire me and makes me audacious in all life’s adversities.
The story is so good that it has touched my heart. This is what my mothers the great teach me when I go to her with any problem.
Please do send more stories like this, I think good from HR perspective.
It’s a blast to have your flesh and mind knocked out by stories like this every once in a while.
Words that brings back your heart in its right place.
Go Sonnie!!! hehe
Error 404 fixed! Yes, like the parables Jesus told, a message in story form and this was a good one. Now how can we think up one to send to the so-called leaders of the current war in the middle east? Truely, they are like little children with very dangerous toys.
keep up the good work Sonnie.
Really good, Make your sorroundings tasty wherever you are, rather than influenced by others, good message in HR perspective.
Really good one, i need more stories like this which makes understand life, because exeperiece stories is what the best example.