Are You a Carrot, and Egg, or a Cup of Coffee?

We had an assignment in one of my college classes about how we handle adversity. Read the story and see where you are...I added my essay at the end. Thanks for reading.

A Carrot, an Egg, and a Cup of Coffee Essay

            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 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 a hot stove burner. 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 put it into a cup.

            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?"

            Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity or hardship – 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. After being in 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 cup of coffee?

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Permalink Reply by Charlene Ozawa on November 12, 2010 at 11:27pm

Wow! What a perfect story. I am trying to be the cup of coffee. Sometimes the coffee is too strong and becomes bitter. Sometimes weak and leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. It's all about balance. Thanks Marlena. Hugs.

Permalink Reply by sharon cox on November 13, 2010 at 6:49am

Through all of this and even before, I have been like the carrots and the egg. I am striving to be that cup of coffee, but I know it will take time. Thank you for sharing this.

Permalink Reply by Christy on November 15, 2010 at 1:43pm

You're right Suzanne; adversity is just one aspect of losing your spouse, but this story helps illustrate that ultimately we can improve ourselves and the environment around us as a result of our experience. It will take longer for some of us than others and then again some will simply bow out. My prayers & best wishes for all of us.

Suzanne said:

It is just my opinion that going through adversity is not the same thing as someone's spouse dieing. Just being honest. I felt the need to share that thought. Take care.
God bless,
Suzanne

Permalink Reply by Suzanne on November 15, 2010 at 4:39pm

Hi Christy,
I was hoping not to have to elaborate on my opinion about this subject of adversity. I didn't want to be thoughtless or unkind to Marlene, who has a very insightful way and is trying to think positive and is a very good person and grieving like the rest of us. But it looks like I need to explain my answer by saying I think adversity is different from losing a spouse, not an aspect of it. In my view, it is just as different as apples and oranges when talking about adversity compared to losing a loved one who's been together for 39 years or for how many years the two have been together. To me adversity is losing a job, your child is in trouble, or your house is on the auction block. In the dictionary it says adversity means: a state of misfortune, poverty and trouble. In my perspective, losing a person you loved and cared for and one either watched or experienced the end of their life is not adversity. That's just me. Everyone else seems to have another perspective. I was just giving you mine.
God bless,
Suzanne

Christy said:

You're right Suzanne; adversity is just one aspect of losing your spouse, but this story helps illustrate that ultimately we can improve ourselves and the environment around us as a result of our experience. It will take longer for some of us than others and then again some will simply bow out. My prayers & best wishes for all of us.

Suzanne said:
It is just my opinion that going through adversity is not the same thing as someone's spouse dieing. Just being honest. I felt the need to share that thought. Take care.
God bless,
Suzanne