Jane complained to her father Harris about her life becoming unbearable. It seemed to her that when one problem was solved a new one arose. She was totally confused with her life.
Harris took her to the kitchen and filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In one pot he placed a few carrots, in another a few eggs, and in the third he put some coffee powder. He then let them boil, without saying a word.
Jane anxiously waited to see what her Dad was showing her.
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In about 10 minutes, Harris took the carrots from the boiling water and placed them in a plate. He then took the eggs and placed them in another plate. He then emptied the coffee into mugs, and turning to Jane he asked her, "Darling, what do you see?" "Carrots, eggs and coffee", she replied.
He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She found them soft. He asked her to break an egg. She found the inside of egg hard.
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He then offered a mug of coffee to her as he took the other mug, and both of them began to sip the coffee with its rich aroma.
"What does this mean, Dad?" Jane asked. "Darling", said Harris, "the carrots, eggs and the coffee powder faced the same enemy: boiling water. But whereas the carrots softened and became weak, the fragile eggs protecting the liquid within, became hardened. The ground coffee changed the hot water into a drink with rich aroma. Which are you, when you are faced with pain and difficulties?"
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In adversity are we like carrots in boiling water, we seem hard, but with pain and adversity do we turn soft and lose our strength? Or are we like an egg, which starts off with a malleable heart?
Are we fluid, and when caught up with a death in the family, a tragedy, a breakup, do we turn stiff and hardened? Our shell looks the same, but inside do we turn bitter and tough, with attitudes that others fail to understand? Or when life's water gets hottest, do we change the very difficulties and sufferings we face into opportunities for greater achievements in our lives? How do you react?
Illustrations: Vamsi Aditya, SSSIHL;
Source: East And West Series, Oct 2005
- Heart2Heart Team
