Are you a Carrot, Egg or Coffee?

[Dee22]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#Just thought I'd share this #ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl##ed_op#STRONG#ed_cl##ed_op#EM#ed_cl##ed_op#U#ed_cl#Carrot, Egg, and Coffee#ed_op#/U#ed_cl##ed_op#/EM#ed_cl##ed_op#/STRONG#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#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.#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#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.#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#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. #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#Turning to her daughter, she asks, "Tell me what you see."#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#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 #ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl#break#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl# it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#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?"#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#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 #ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl#unrelenting#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#. 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.#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#"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?"#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#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?#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#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?#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Arial#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#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 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?#ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #f00000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"#ed_cl#may we all be COFFEE #ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Berlin Sans FB"#ed_cl##ed_op#SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Berlin Sans FB'"#ed_cl# #ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/SPAN#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl#

[babytigger]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#That's a neat story dee...thanks!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Lix]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Very neat story Dee!  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I just passed it around.  So if it comes back to you, you'll know it was me.  (lol, I sent it to Abbey which I know sometimes passes it on!)#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[zooka]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#that is really some food for thought!  #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Happy/4.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#no really I enjoyed it... i try to be coffee but it doesn't always work out!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Pretty_Pony72]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#hmm im an egg i must say... i'll pass this on #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Pretty_Pony72]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#hmm im an egg i must say... i'll pass this on #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[EatMyDust]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Hmmm, I think Im the egg! lol#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#wow pp72, me and you really are alike.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Chisholm]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#BR#ed_cl#Well of course I try to be the coffee, but more times then not I end up like the egg.  And then there are times I end up like the carrot. LOL#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Eileen]

#ed_op#TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"#ed_cl##ed_op#TBODY#ed_cl##ed_op#TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"#ed_cl##ed_op#TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off"#ed_cl#Me too Chis, I think throughout my life I have had all three suits on at one time or another.  I will try to be coffee though lol#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/TD#ed_cl##ed_op#/TR#ed_cl##ed_op#TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"#ed_cl##ed_op#TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on"#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV id=hotbar_promo#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/TD#ed_cl##ed_op#/TR#ed_cl##ed_op#/TBODY#ed_cl##ed_op#/TABLE#ed_cl#

[MacnRio]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Very neat, thanks for sharing!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#As much as I'd like to say I'm the coffee...... I'm definitely an egg.....#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graciespook]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I usually end up like a carrot..but sometimes I emerge like coffee #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[stronghold]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT color=#ff0000#ed_cl#I try to be the coffee, but I know at some points in my life, I have been the egg and the carrot.#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[*Giddy Up*]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#That was a really good story. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#