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A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard. She was tired of fighting and struggling. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on fire. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let these sit and boil, without saying a word. In about 20 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?" The mother asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. She then asked her to break an egg. 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 its rich aroma. 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. 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. "When adversity knocks, how do you respond? Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong but, with pain and adversity, do I become soft and lose strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit but, after hardships, 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 circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavour. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean? — Author unknown
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