I saw this on FB & was so touched by it. I figured I would share it.
Grandmother Says... Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee; "Which are you?"
A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard fo...r 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
TTC since 4/28/07 Diagnosed w/ endometriosis 12/2010 Laproscopic surgery & 6 months of Lupron BFP 12/17/2011,EDD 8/23/12,ectopic discovered 12/29/11 at 6 weeks recieved methotrexate Dec '12 HSG & ultrasound showed abnormalities & more endo. Laproscopic surgery in January '13 showed significant damage & scar tissue from Endo. IVF is our best shot to concieve our rainbow.
TTC since April 2010
BFP #1 – March 2011, missed m/c April 2011
BFP #2 – October 2011, m/c November 2011
Surprise BFP #3 – December 2011, diagnosed as cornual, terminated January 2012
BFP #4 – June 2012, m/c July 2012
Diagnosed with bicornuate ute and MTHR gene mutation
BFP #5 – October 2012, missed m/c November 2012
BFP #6 – January 2013, m/c March 2013
No longer TTC. Diagnosis: Hostile ute. Heartbroken and bitter. Pursuing surrogacy.
June 2013 - Carrier found! Could this really happen?!
Thanks for sharing. There are days when I feel like all 3 of those.
Me too. I hope eventually I will be the coffee but right now I feel like the egg
TTC since 4/28/07 Diagnosed w/ endometriosis 12/2010 Laproscopic surgery & 6 months of Lupron BFP 12/17/2011,EDD 8/23/12,ectopic discovered 12/29/11 at 6 weeks recieved methotrexate Dec '12 HSG & ultrasound showed abnormalities & more endo. Laproscopic surgery in January '13 showed significant damage & scar tissue from Endo. IVF is our best shot to concieve our rainbow.
Thank you for sharing this. I'm definitely an egg. I started out rather empathetic and soft and have turned hard. I will try to be more like coffee and think of this when circumstances arise.
Rachel (23) and Ben (25)
Check out my blog.
BFP #3: 2/14/13 EDD:10/16/2013 (Please stick little one)
Thanks for sharing. There are days when I feel like all 3 of those.
Me too. I hope eventually I will be the coffee but right now I feel like the egg
And I don't think there's a thing in the world wrong with that, EK. While stories like this one are intended to be sweet, I hate them because I think they too often imply that people should strive to be something different than what they are in the face of grief or adversity. Far more important, I believe, is the willingness to give yourself permission to feel how you do today without worrying how you should feel tomorrow.
I love you for this, Rosie. (And for lots of other things, too!)
I have a really hard time with a lot of the "motivational" or positive quotes, stories, and memes that go around (and plastered all over FB), for this exact reason. That make me feel like I'm doing it wrong. And I don't need to feel like I'm doing more things wrong. Eh, that's just me.
Still, this is a cute metaphor. I would say I'm mostly egg, and a little coffee. Honestly, if I wasn't hardened, I'd be a pile of mushy egg in the bottom of the pot. For now, that's what is getting me by. I often feel like a carrot, but I don't think I am one.
ETA
PAIF/SAIF, PGAL/PAL welcome.
TTC since March 2010 ~ Dx Unexplained IF September 2011 2011: IUI + Clomid = CP#1 2012: 3 more IUIs + Clomid = 3 more CPs. One on-our-own pg, also CP 2013: BTB IUI + Lupron/Follistim/Prometrium/PIO = CP #6 IF testing, RPL testing, Autoimmune testing = all normal
So lost.
These things make me think (which is not bad...keeps the brain from turning to mush) and look at things from another perspective, which is something I have a hard time doing! (I'm an egg, aspiring to be coffee) I thought this was sweet, and it made me think of my beautiful grandmother who is no longer of this world, so I can't imagine starting the day off better! Have a great day ladies!!
Thanks for sharing. There are days when I feel like all 3 of those.
Me too. I hope eventually I will be the coffee but right now I feel like the egg
And I don't think there's a thing in the world wrong with that, EK. While stories like this one are intended to be sweet, I hate them because I think they too often imply that people should strive to be something different than what they are in the face of grief or adversity. Far more important, I believe, is the willingness to give yourself permission to feel how you do today without worrying how you should feel tomorrow.
Thank you for this, Rosie. I, too, have been much more eggy since 2012 (since 2010, really).
I liked this story, and I liked this message. And I feel like I should "want" to be more like coffee. The story touched me - but your comment about it saying "people should strive to be something different than what they are" really resonated with me. I've got that prickly feeling in the back of my throat like I'm gonna cry!
Thanks for sharing. There are days when I feel like all 3 of those.
Me too. I hope eventually I will be the coffee but right now I feel like the egg
And I don't think there's a thing in the world wrong with that, EK. While stories like this one are intended to be sweet, I hate them because I think they too often imply that people should strive to be something different than what they are in the face of grief or adversity. Far more important, I believe, is the willingness to give yourself permission to feel how you do today without worrying how you should feel tomorrow.
I agree with Rosie.
BFP with #1 (twins!) 11/18/2011 - missed m/c at 8weeks3days; d&c 1/19/2012; myomectomy to remove 18cm+,10cm & 5cm fibroids 4/2012; TTC again 7/2012; BFP #2 (twins) 11/13/2012; missed m/c at 7weeks;
BFP #3: baby girl born 3/5/2014
Re: carrots, eggs or coffee(shared from FB)
I've never seen this before, but thanks for sharing. Very sweet.
Meanwhile, I'd love to say that I'm coffee, but lately I feel like bounce between carrot and egg. Womp womp...
TTC since April 2010
BFP #1 – March 2011, missed m/c April 2011
BFP #2 – October 2011, m/c November 2011
Surprise BFP #3 – December 2011, diagnosed as cornual, terminated January 2012
BFP #4 – June 2012, m/c July 2012
Diagnosed with bicornuate ute and MTHR gene mutation
BFP #5 – October 2012, missed m/c November 2012
BFP #6 – January 2013, m/c March 2013
No longer TTC. Diagnosis: Hostile ute. Heartbroken and bitter. Pursuing surrogacy.
June 2013 - Carrier found! Could this really happen?!
~All AL always welcome~
Me too. I hope eventually I will be the coffee but right now I feel like the egg
Diagnosed w/ endometriosis 12/2010 Laproscopic surgery & 6 months of Lupron
BFP 12/17/2011,EDD 8/23/12,ectopic discovered 12/29/11 at 6 weeks recieved methotrexate
Dec '12 HSG & ultrasound showed abnormalities & more endo. Laproscopic surgery in January '13 showed significant damage & scar tissue from Endo. IVF is our best shot to concieve our rainbow.
June '13 Decided to go the adoption route!
***PGAL/PAL WELCOME***
BFP#4 3/17/14 - rainbow Baby BOY arrived 11/10/14 !!
DX: Uterine Septum - Resection 9/5/13 || MTHFR Hetero A1298C || My Chart
Mostly coffee, with a hint of egg
Thank you for posting this!
BFP#2 2.5.11 (EDD 10.15.11) DS born 9.28.11
BFP#4 8.27.13 (EDD 5.6.14) DD born 4.23.14
My Recipe Blog
~All AL'ers welcome~
Check out my blog.
BFP #3: 2/14/13 EDD:10/16/2013 (Please stick little one)
I love you for this, Rosie. (And for lots of other things, too!)
I have a really hard time with a lot of the "motivational" or positive quotes, stories, and memes that go around (and plastered all over FB), for this exact reason. That make me feel like I'm doing it wrong. And I don't need to feel like I'm doing more things wrong. Eh, that's just me.
Still, this is a cute metaphor. I would say I'm mostly egg, and a little coffee. Honestly, if I wasn't hardened, I'd be a pile of mushy egg in the bottom of the pot. For now, that's what is getting me by. I often feel like a carrot, but I don't think I am one.
ETA
TTC since March 2010 ~ Dx Unexplained IF September 2011
2011: IUI + Clomid = CP#1
2012: 3 more IUIs + Clomid = 3 more CPs. One on-our-own pg, also CP
2013: BTB IUI + Lupron/Follistim/Prometrium/PIO = CP #6
IF testing, RPL testing, Autoimmune testing = all normal
So lost.
me:40; DH:41; 4/30/12 1st visit with RE; 6/30/12 IUI #1 BFN; 7/19/12 IUI cancelled (overmedicated); 8/2/12 IUI cancelled (cyst); 9/1/12 IUI #2 BFP! EDD 5/28/13; 10/9/12 1st U/S at 7w3d--missed m/c (trisomy 16) D&C 10/19/12; karyotyping results normal!; 1/31/13 IUI #3 BFP! EDD 10/25/13
Thank you for this, Rosie. I, too, have been much more eggy since 2012 (since 2010, really).
I liked this story, and I liked this message. And I feel like I should "want" to be more like coffee. The story touched me - but your comment about it saying "people should strive to be something different than what they are" really resonated with me. I've got that prickly feeling in the back of my throat like I'm gonna cry!
I agree with Rosie.
BFP with #1 (twins!) 11/18/2011 - missed m/c at 8weeks3days; d&c 1/19/2012; myomectomy to remove 18cm+,10cm & 5cm fibroids 4/2012; TTC again 7/2012; BFP #2 (twins) 11/13/2012; missed m/c at 7weeks;
BFP #3: baby girl born 3/5/2014
Balaustine: an anthology about wanting family
BFP#1 9/5/12, MMC, MC confirmed 10/9/12,
D&C 12/12/12 BFP#2 7/30/13, EDD 4/12/14, DS born 4/14/14