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 if as soon as one problem was solved a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. The mother filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots. In the second she placed eggs. And the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. About twenty minutes later, 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 said, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. (You known the tone of voice.) She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did, and noted that they felt soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg inside. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "So, what's the point, mother?" (Remember the tone of voice.) Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity - boiling water - but 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 center. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its insides had become 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 outer shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water - the very circumstances that bring the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor of the bean. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you instead of letting it change you. How do you handle Adversity? ARE YOU A CARROT, AN EGG, OR A COFFEE BEAN?

I was going to go with coffee from the start and now I am staying with it. Very nice little lesson.

Honestly, i am the coffee bean

This is one of the most interesting questions I have ever encountered on this site! I think that at times, I am more like the carrot (going in tough, coming out weak), but at others, I am the egg (going in weak, coming out tough)... But the one I would most like to be is the coffee bean because it changes a bad situation into something good... However, I don't drink coffee... just thought that was a random comment I should add!

out of 100%, i am 20% carrot, 40 % egg(w/ me personally having the opposite reaction to the last line of its description), and 40 % coffee bean. (some people would say i change things more positively than i give myself credit for though, and i've noticed this, so i may be a little more coffee bean than egg lol) :-)

Verr clever story! 'Life's little lessons' are everywhere, aren't they? :)

Excellent!

I believe I am a coffee bean.

I absolutely adore this metaphor. I used to be the carrot, then I morphed into the egg, then after several years of eggdom, I realized that I had the option to become the coffee bean, so I did.

I'm a coffee bean! Woohoo!

I would say that im a coffee bean for those who have been asking.

bump.

I really think life has put me through all 3 letting me end as a coffee bean. Great story question!!!!

I'm definitely a coffee bean: rich and nutty! :-p Great story & question, btw. ^__^

I would say I'm a carrot Thanks for sharing this!

I am a coffee bean most of the time though some situation do tend to transmute me to egg form.

Scroll down! or should be first answer

A little bit of both the egg and the coffee Adversity has made me somewhat hard inside but my love for people is stronger and Around me I have seen my rich flavor and aroma change somethings.

I am a coffee bean.