An Carrot, an egg and coffee

[Guest guest]

I wanted to send this to this group who have made me smile when I really

needed it, to those of you who helped me see the brighter side of things

when I've been down, and to all of you whose friendship I can count on.

Subject: FW: Carrot, Egg and 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

had gotten 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 with all the pain and depression. It seemed as soon 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 the stove on high. 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 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 all 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? " 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

Illness, 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 best of what they have.

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.

Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but FAITH looks up. We are what we

repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Just some words to think about this holiday season. Love, Fran

[Guest guest]

At 07:25 PM 12/14/2004, you wrote:

> I wanted to send this to this group who have made me smile when I really

>needed it, to those of you who helped me see the brighter side of things

>when I've been down, and to all of you whose friendship I can count on.

>

>Dear Fran,, when you go into that well of yours you always come up with

>something inspirational. That was beautiful!........Mo

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Fran,

That was very good. Makes you think? You know, after I read it i thought

about it for a long time. I can't make up my mind which one I am. I think i

could be any of them on any given day. From now on though, its the coffee bean

for me. (Yeah, yeah .............We'll see. lol)

Take care,

[Guest guest]

Thanks Maureen. When I read it, it made me think of all of you. Love, Fran

At 07:25 PM 12/14/2004, you wrote:

> I wanted to send this to this group who have made me smile when I

really

>needed it, to those of you who helped me see the brighter side of things

>when I've been down, and to all of you whose friendship I can count on.

>

>Dear Fran,, when you go into that well of yours you always come up with

>something inspirational. That was beautiful!........Mo

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/15/04 6:38:31 AM Central Standard Time,

martincoyless@... writes:

I think i

could be any of them on any given day. From now on though, its the coffee

bean

for me. (Yeah, yeah .............We'll see. lol)

That's about how I took it. I want to be a bean! On another note yesterday

someone commented on the ompnipotence of psoriasis bit by saying Brilliant!

Funny that earlier that same day it was discovered that a replacement safety

guard I had designed and installed on a grinder was too long so the machine

couldnt be used without modification to the guard. Upon discovery one of the

guys

in the shop, in a sarcastic manner, proclaimed Brilliant! Must have been a

banner day. Orin