When you understand the difference between A carrot, an egg, and a cup of Oolong tea.
You will never Look at a cup of Oolong the same way again.
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.
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 Oolong tea. 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 Oolong out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and Oolong tea," she replied.
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 break it. After pulling off the shell, she
observed the hard boiled egg
Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the Oolong. The daughter
Smiled as she tasted its rich aroma The daughter then
asked, "What does it mean, mother?"
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 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
Oolong tea was unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they
had changed for the better - both the water color, odour and the taste.
"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 Oolong tea?
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?
Or Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes
with the hat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a
breakup, a financial hardship or some other trials, have I become hardened and
stronger? Does my Shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and
tough with a stiff Spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the Oolong tea? The tea 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 tea,
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 Oolong tea?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough
trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to
make you happy.
The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best
of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their Way.
The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten
past; you can't go forward in life until you had let go of your past failures
and heartaches.
When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you
was smiling.
Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is
smiling and everyone around you may be crying.
May we all be like the OOLONG TEA !!!!!!
