What are you?? A Carrot, An Egg, or a Cup of Coffee
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 it's 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. it's thin outer shell had protected it's liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, it's 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 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 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.
Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but FAITH looks up. We are what we repeatedly do.
We have our 15 lb. tabby cat, he's Captain, and he's great. Last Sunday, my heart went out to a little girl, with club feet and she's a tabby also. I came home, talked it over with my son, and went back and adopted her from LoveAStray. Captain has now adopted her also.
She is frail, small and always looks tired, but she plays and eats well and knows her litter box is in the basement.
Does any one know about kittens with a weepy eye? Other than that, she seems to be doing great.
A man who just died is delivered to a local mortuary wearing an expensive,expertly tailored black suit.
The Blonde mortician asks the deceased's wife how she would like the body dressed. She points out that the man does look good in the black suit he is already wearing.
The widow, however, says that she always thought her husband looked his best in blue, and that she wants him in a blue suit. She gives the Blonde mortician a blank check and says, "I don't care what it costs, but please have my husband in a blue suit for the viewing."
The woman returns the next day for the wake. To her delight, she finds her husband dressed in a gorgeous blue suit with a subtle chalk stripe; the suit fits him perfectly.
She says to the mortician, "Whatever this cost, I'm very satisfied. You did an excellent job and I'm very grateful. How much did you spend?" To her astonishment, the blonde mortician presents her with the blank check.
"There's no charge," she says.
"No, really, I must compensate you for the cost of that exquisite blue suit!" she says.
"Honestly, ma'am," the blonde says, "it cost nothing. You see, a deceased gentleman of about your husband's size was brought in shortly after you left yesterday, and he was wearing an attractive blue suit.
I asked his wife if she minded him going to his grave wearing a black suit instead, and she said it made no difference as long as he looked nice. So I just switched the heads.
My two sons have different fathers. I am good friends with my younger son's dad and his wife (they stayed here for over a month in June) and my son will be visiting them in Okla. in Sept., also staying with his grandmother, visiting other relatives. My older son, same thing, visited his dad in Colorado and grandmother in Calif. a few months ago.
We all live far from eachother, but stay in touch (I have encouraged since we moved) so they know they are loved by many others in their life.
If you look at the pics you will see that everyone is beautiful in some wonderful way. Manly guys standing next their truck, or feeding a horse or holding a baby. Feminine women in long colorful dresses with makeup on, or natural with hair flowing.
A hobby of mine has been to visit cemeteries and take pictures. I realized I'm not alone in this and joined a website where there are other "gravers" who take requests for others around the country.
I was able to take one request pic for someone when I was visiting Blanchard, Oklahoma, last June.
There is one pic in my profile, if anyone would like to see it. It is in Otay Lakes, Calif.
SusieRR Forum Posts (2,122)
You did it again kansan, made me laugh thank you
RE: Aer Ireland Flight 101