Which am I?

Blog post 57 of 365

I have a lot of great friends. Some I have had forever and we have been through so much together I'd say we have passed friendship and are family. Chosen family is pretty cool. One such friend posted an old looking kitchen with a grandma type photo and the following story on Facebook.

"Which are you?"

A young woman went to her grandmother 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 grandmother took her to the kitchen. She 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.

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 granddaughter, she asked, "Tell me what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got 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 granddaughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The granddaughter then asked. "What's the point,grandmother?"

Her grandmother 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 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 granddaughter.

"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 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 flavor. 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?

---AUTHOR UNKNOWN

When I originally read the story I pictured (I'm very visual) the pot of boiling water with carrots in it and before reading on I thought I'd add some potatoes, onion, chunks of meat, season it and we'd have supper. But I read on. I pictured the boiling eggs and thought an egg salad sandwich would go perfectly with the stew. Then I got to the coffee and pictured chocolate cake (I am not a coffee drinker the only way I know to love coffee which I find bitter and difficult to swallow is in chocolate cake). What a better way to end a meal than with chocolate cake? But then I read on.  

Well I thought about it for a second or two and then I sent my long time friend this message.

I don't think I am carrots, eggs or coffee. I think I am a combination of things. Sometimes I get soft & mushy, I can harden when the need arises and but usually I flavor the world with my uniqueness. I think you do too. Just saying. I think we are better for all we have endured and make the world a better place because of it.

I think life is grand. I think I'll go cook up some stew, make a sandwich and bake cake then share it all with friends because the best meals are shared.