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. 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 a boil. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners.
The mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted it.
Then her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity — boiling water — but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong and hard. 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? When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you the carrot that seems strong but, with pain and adversity, do you become soft and lose your strength? Are you the egg that starts with a malleable (柔软的) heart, but changes with the heat? Or do you 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. Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?” the mother asked.
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