Thinkingcap

Life's battles don't always go To the stronger or faster man, But soon or late the man who wins... Is the man who thinks HE CAN!!!

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Coffee?



I've always enjoyed reading,listening to & telling stories as I know it is the most effective means of conveying not only simple thoughts but those that are profound too! Here is a story I came across which I enjoyed.Simple story, simple thoughts... but an inspiring message! Trust me after reading this coffee will never be the same to you!

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 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 high fire Soon the pots came to 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 placed it in a bowl.

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, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: 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, 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 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 shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and 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 hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.


May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

May we all Drink(ooops!) BE coffee!!!

17 Comments:

Blogger Ar Ar Ar Arrrrr said...

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
This is yet another awesome quote I've come across today....couldnt agree more....at times I thnk am not the happiest person in real life :)

Having said that...lemme have ma cup of coffee for the day :)

8:10 PM  
Blogger Keshi said...

WOW this is such a great story Rashmi! tnxxx for sharing it with us...really an eye-opener!

Keshi.

9:24 PM  
Blogger Balaji S Rajan said...

Rashmi,

This is a good story which I have not heard of. Hmmm... now I have reasons to tell others why I like coffee.

True about life. We cry when we are born. We should leave happily... Philosophy is good.

BTW how is your son after the accident?

1:58 AM  
Blogger Krishnakumar said...

Nice Story! :)

2:11 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Hey arz000n, That can't be true. U see humour in everything around you,this should be reason enough to be happy. I love reading your posts 'coz I know it sure will leave me happy & smiling immaterial of my mood when I set out reading! So buddy.... u stand corrected, u sure know how to be happy ALWAYS!

7:33 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Agreed Keshi, I loved it the very first time I read it. In fact it helped me explain such an inspiring thought to my kids very easily.

Thanks Bala, Dhruv's able to use his hand normally,but the scar will take real long to heal.

Welcome aboard Krishna kumar.

Rashmi.

7:37 PM  
Blogger Artnavy said...

very interesting parable

9:00 PM  
Blogger Neha said...

Hmmmm...nice nice....

Many of us are different in same conditions at different periods of time...depending on what mettle u have...
Many will be brave, strong, ready to face whatever is coming..the same people will become so weak and will just not want to/ or will be able to take life as it comes....but yes, it is all upto us to decide what do we want to become!!

Cheers!

11:30 PM  
Blogger Sreejith Panickar said...

Very interesting again Rashmi!

PS: Nice to know that Dhruv is okay now... As you know, the scar is not at all a problem... It will be okay... The best thing is that Dhruv is safe....

3:10 AM  
Blogger KK said...

A very nice story, I have read this quite sometime ago... I wish I become like coffee but for now I am not. Thanks for this inspirational story :)

11:50 AM  
Blogger 2lrbl said...

:).... life in a tea cup (oops! coffee cup).... very interesting story :)

11:48 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

wonderful inspiring coffee...oops... post! :D

But had my mother given me same kind of advice... i would have swallowed the boiled egg in one gulp and then go on to eat the boiled carrot... and finally to finish my "meals" i would have consumed that coffee too! :D

2:06 AM  
Blogger mathew said...

beautiful sotry ..simple yet it conveys a lot..

I should have another coffee.. :-P

2:21 AM  
Blogger Kavi said...

Lovely story !

Will remember it for a long while !

10:47 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

true artnavy! loved it when I read it the very first time.

Well said Neha! three cheers to that!


Yes Sreejith! it was indeed inspiring.As for Dhruv's scars its just that they are kind of getting hardened so requires a lot of massaging. Otherwise it seems they may remain for life!

Great words madsies!

Rashmi

10:06 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Hey kk!life is all about how we react most of the time, because that's what triggers the rest. So just take care before reacting!

nlonve,tea or coffee both react the same!

Karthik ! amma santhosha paduva! enna, ne avanga sonna paaddhathai apadiye karachi,sapittu, kudichiye pa!!

Sure Mathew! but make sure you knmow the value of the coffee u are drinking.

Yes Kavi! I loved it too!

Rashmi

10:21 PM  
Blogger Keshi said...

Update plz :)

Keshi.

9:30 PM  

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