Posted:Thu Nov 5, 2009 8:31 PM CST
Metaphorgasmic Musings
A young woman told a friend 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 just as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her friend went into the kitchen, where she filled 3 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. In 20 minutes she turned off the burners, and 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 the woman, she asked, "Tell me what you see."Carrots, eggs, and coffee," the woman replied. Her friend asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The friend asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, the friend asked her to sip the coffee. The woman smiled as she tasted its richness and savored its aroma, and asked, "What does it all mean?"
Her friend 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.
The carrot seemed strong, but with pain and adversity wilted, became soft, and lost strength.
The egg started with a malleable heart, but hardened.
The coffee bean changed; it released fragrance and flavor, and became even better.
We all handle adversity differently. I was born an egg, but I strive to be a coffee bean...