Whenever we face difficulties in life, we feel the urge to share our fears and struggles with those around us because that way, we know we are not alone.
One day, a woman learned that her husband was cheating on her. Her world shattered into a million pieces and she needed someone to talk to, so she went to her grandma. When she explained the situation, the elderly lady told her to follow her to the kitchen. There, she took three pots in which she boiled water. Then, she took a carrot, an egg, and some coffee beans and put them into separate pots.
The granddaughter was confused and asked her granny what was going on, to which the lady said that she needed to be patient and see it for herself.
After some time, the grandma took the carrot out and asked her granddaughter to tell her what the water did to the vegetable. The granddaughter said that the boiling water softened the root. At the same time, that same boiling water hardened the egg. As for the coffee beans, they were the ones that changed the water.
The grandma then asked her granddaughter which one she was, the carrot, the egg, or the coffee beans.
Sometimes, just like what the water did to the carrot, adversities make us soft. We prevail our problems and emerge more flexible and more understanding. Other times, just like the egg, we end up stronger and tougher. If we choose to be a coffee bean, we don’t let the situation affect us, but we do our best to change it the way it suits us best and elevate ourselves to another level.
The granddaughter learned an important lesson that day.