You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again...

[Becca]

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,” the daughter replied.

The mother brought her daughter 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?”

The 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 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.

[bodhitree]

I Am Lemonade

[Becca]

Are you saying you are bitter, yellow, and in need of huge amounts of sweetening to be paletable?:confused:;)

[bodhitree]

when life throws you coffee you make lemonade

[MasterKiller]

I'm the boiling water, biatches.

[RD'S Alias - 1A]

Your lemonaid is Pink, and Fake!!

Only *I* have the real, original traditional authentic Lemonaid (Made with real lemons, restrictions and conditions apply)

[jdhowland]

What if it's a thousand-year egg?

I know this speaks to a totally different purpose, but since we're talking metaphorically, here's one from White Crane sifu Quentin Fong regarding the difference between "internal" and "external" training.

Some gung fu practitioners are like eggs: hard on the outside and soft on the inside. Some are like preserved eggs: the shell is soft but the inside is tough. The goal of both is to become a stone egg.

I keep an alabaster egg to remind me of this.

[sanjuro_ronin]

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.


Sometimes a carrot isn't a carrot ?
Freud is doing taiji right now
:D

[Becca]

What if it's a thousand-year egg?

I know this speaks to a totally different purpose, but since we're talking metaphorically, here's one from White Crane sifu Quentin Fong regarding the difference between "internal" and "external" training.

Some gung fu practitioners are like eggs: hard on the outside and soft on the inside. Some are like preserved eggs: the shell is soft but the inside is tough. The goal of both is to become a stone egg.

I keep an alabaster egg to remind me of this.Oooooo... I like that one.:)

[sanjuro_ronin]

What if it's a thousand-year egg?

I know this speaks to a totally different purpose, but since we're talking metaphorically, here's one from White Crane sifu Quentin Fong regarding the difference between "internal" and "external" training.

Some gung fu practitioners are like eggs: hard on the outside and soft on the inside. Some are like preserved eggs: the shell is soft but the inside is tough. The goal of both is to become a stone egg.

I keep an alabaster egg to remind me of this.

My kung fu sifu used to say they were like omelets, I just assumed he was hungry and got confused.

[David Jamieson]

although the beans remained unchanged, this was in shape only and though they had changed the water, they had all the value of themselves taken out of them in the doing.

so before anyone goes changing the water like the coffee beans, make sure youa re capable of assessing the risk of that. IE: your life is forfeit.

Just ask Ghandi...or Dr. King... or...well anyone who put too much effort into changing the world.

and the egg, well, who would want to harden themselves against the rest? That's unsociable and hard boiled eggs are not greatly desired. except perhaps by someone looking for a quick meal or ingredients to something better!

Better to be the carrot. Softened, weakened, but still a carrot.

:p

[golden arhat]

I KILLED A MAN WITH A TRIDENT


i love lamp

[golden arhat]

wait no

i am a corgette

water or not i still give ladies pleasure through out the world

[Merryprankster]

I'm the guy who writes cryptic, metaphorical, apocryphal stories about carrots, eggs and coffee.

[David Jamieson]

No you're not.

That guy was humping the old lady.

[IronWeasel]

I'm the boiling water, biatches.




Lol! Suck it, coffee!

[Chief Fox]

When the hard ridgid carrot is exposed to the boiling water, it doesn't become weak, it becomes more flexible and yummy.

When the egg is exposed to the water it becomes a portable and delicious source of protein.

When the coffee is exposed to the water it becomes a liquid that stains your teeth and gives you dragon breath.

[Becca]

wait no

i am a corgette

water or not i still give ladies pleasure through out the world
Pleasure and amusment ar not the same thing....;)

[bodhitree]

When the coffee is exposed to the water it becomes a liquid that stains your teeth and gives you dragon breath.------Cheifo


I love that majic concoction

[TenTigers]

I'm Nestle's Quick, no Bosco, no u-Bet, no Horlicks (did he say wh0re licks?)no Ovaltine, no,Hershey's, no...wait a minute..I'm Lactose intorlerable. I'm Lactaid..?ok, Lactaid. With Nestle's Quick, no...

[Ford Prefect]

So the cofee beans aren't changed at all like carrots and eggs? The water where you boiled carrots and eggs isn't changed at all unlike coffee water, so you could drink it, and it'd be just like water?

I call shananigans on the whole story!

[Lucas]

So the cofee beans aren't changed at all like carrots and eggs? The water where you boiled carrots and eggs isn't changed at all unlike coffee water, so you could drink it, and it'd be just like water?

I call shananigans on the whole story!

Sir, are you then formally declairing Shananigans? Shinanigans are not to be taken lightly, can you back your claim up?


:p

[Becca]

So the cofee beans aren't changed at all like carrots and eggs? The water where you boiled carrots and eggs isn't changed at all unlike coffee water, so you could drink it, and it'd be just like water?

I call shananigans on the whole story!
Not true. The water is all scummy after you boil eggs in it. And if you add a teabag of mulling spices to the water you boiled carrots in (assuming you didn't add any butter or spices while cooking), you get a very delightful drink that tastes alot like carrot cake.

But you know, the beans got ground up, and coffee grounds are only good for one pot, so they can get away with not being changed by the water...:p

[Mr Punch]

I'm the boiling water, biatches.I'm the flame that boils the water, pu55y.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i like it when a little kid sticks their hands in a hot cup of coffee and they say, "Hoott-tt-tt HOott-tt-tt"

its even funnier if you can convince them to do it a second time.

[Becca]

lol! You gotta love it when they want to try the "different katsup" too. "Baby, that's not katsup." "But I want that one!" "OK but wait till the waitress brings you a large glass of milk...":D

[Jow_Ga]

I never liked Carrots, and eggs aren't my cup-o-tea. So I'm COFFE!

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

lol! You gotta love it when they want to try the "different katsup" too. "Baby, that's not katsup." "But I want that one!" "OK but wait till the waitress brings you a large glass of milk...":D

mine knew better at 2 cause im a pr1ck