Grandma shares beautiful piece of advice

When we need it most, our grandparents are often a source of comfort and wisdom, providing guidance. In this story, a grandmother gives her granddaughter some straightforward advice during a trying time. Although the author of this essay is unknown, everyone can appreciate its insightful advice because it contains a universal truth.

A young lady asked her grandmother for help. She was struggling with her life and unsure of how she would manage. Her grandmother brought out a carrot, an egg, and coffee. She explained that these represented the three qualities she needed to thrive: strength, faith, and determination. With these three things, the young woman could overcome any challenge.

She was led into the kitchen by her grandmother. She put three pots on a high flame, each filled with water. The pots quickly came to a boil. She put carrots in the first, eggs in the second, and ground coffee beans in the third. Without speaking a word, the grandmother just let them sit and boil. After a while, she turned off the burners.

The grandmother removed the carrots from the pot and placed them in a bowl. She took the eggs from the pot and put them in a bowl. She then ladled the coffee into a jar. The grandmother remarked, “Carrots are beneficial for your vision. Eggs are beneficial to your brain. Additionally, coffee is energizing.” She then asked what the granddaughter had seen.

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” replied the granddaughter.

The grandmother brought her closer and made her touch the carrots. They were soft to the touch. After that, she made her crack an egg. She found that the egg was hard-boiled after removing the shell. The grandmother then instructed her to taste the coffee. As she inhaled its powerful scent, the granddaughter smiled.

“What does this mean?” asked the granddaughter.

The grandmother explained that although all these items had encountered boiling water, they all responded differently. The carrots, eggs, and coffee beans were all altered in distinct ways by the boiling water. The carrots went in tough, hard, and inflexible, but after boiling, they weakened and softened. Despite the egg’s fragility, its thin shell protected its liquid interior. But after being in hot water, its interior hardened. The coffee beans were different. They changed the water after it had been boiled.

The grandmother asked her granddaughter if she was a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean.

After giving it some thought, the granddaughter responded, “Am I the strong-looking carrot who becomes weak and soft in the face of adversity and sorrow? Or am I like the malleable egg, whose heart hardens with heat after experiencing loss, breakup, financial difficulty, or another hardship? Does my exterior remain the same, but my spirit become stiff and bitter inside?”

Or am I like the coffee bean that improves the hot water? The bean transforms the environment, even when things are at their worst. The bean rises to a higher degree when the hours are the darkest and the challenges are the greatest.

When faced with a challenge, are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?

This fable made me reflect on my own reactions to pressure. Do you know what you are? Share this parable with your family and friends!