你是胡萝卜，鸡蛋，还是咖啡豆？

Are you a Carrot, an Egg or a Coffee Bean

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.
一个年轻的女子向她的母亲抱怨自己的生活，她觉得事事皆不如意，不知道自己如何应付这一切，想要自暴自弃了。她已经厌倦了与生活作斗争，事情总是一波未平，一波又起。

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first pot, she placed carrots, the second eggs and the last 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 another bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.
她的母亲带到了厨房。她往三只锅里倒了一些水，在第一只锅里放了些胡萝卜，第二只锅里放了些鸡蛋，最后一只锅里放入碾成 粉末的咖啡豆。她就让他们在锅里煮，一句话也没有说。大约20分钟后，她把火关了，把胡萝卜捞出来放入一个碗内，把鸡蛋捞出来放入另一个碗内，然后又把咖 啡舀到一个杯子里。

Turning to her daughter, she asked, ”Tell me what do you see?” “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied. The mother 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 saw the hard-boiled egg. Finally, she asked her to smell and sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she smelled an tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What’s the point, mother?”
她转身问 女儿，“告诉我你看见了什么？”“胡萝卜、鸡蛋和咖啡，”女儿回答。母亲让她靠近些并让她用手摸摸胡萝卜。她摸了摸，注意到它们变软了。母亲又让女儿拿一 个鸡蛋并打破它。将壳剥掉后，她看到的是一个煮熟的鸡蛋。最后，母亲让她闻一下咖啡并喝一小口。品尝到咖啡的香浓，女儿笑了。她问道：“母亲，这意味着什 么？”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity – boiling water – but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, had 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.
母亲解释说，这三样东西面临同样的逆境——煮沸的开水，但 其反应各不相同。胡萝卜入过之前是强壮的，结实的，毫不示弱；但是进入开水之后，它变软，变弱了。鸡蛋原来是脆弱的，它薄薄的外壳保护着它里面的液体。但 是经开水一煮，它的内脏变硬了。而碾碎的咖啡豆则很独特，进入沸水之后，他们倒是改变了水。

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When trials and adversity knock on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?” “哪一个是你呢？”她问女儿。“当逆境找上门来时，你该如何反应？你是胡萝卜，鸡蛋，还是咖啡豆？”

Think of this: Which am I?
想一想：自己是哪一个？

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
我是看似坚硬，但遭遇痛苦和逆境后萎缩了、变软变弱了、失去了力量的胡萝卜吗？

Am I the egg that starts with a passive heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a financial hard ship 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?
我是本来很顺从，但却随着沸水而变得强硬的鸡蛋吗？我是否本来是个性情不定的人，但经过死亡、财务困难或其他考验，变得无情了、倔强了？我的外壳看似从前，但我是不是因有了强硬的性格和冷酷的内心而变得刻薄和苛刻了？

Or, am I like the coffee bean? The coffee bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.
或者，我是不是像咖啡豆一样？豆子实际上改变了给它带来痛苦的沸水，水煮沸了，它也散发出香浓的气味。

If you are like the coffee bean, when things are at their worst, you become better and change the situation around you.
如果你像咖啡豆，你会在情况最糟糕时，变得更加有力，并改变周围的情况。

When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate to another level?
在最黑暗、考验最艰巨的时刻，你能让自己上升到另一个层次吗？

How do you handle adversity?
你是如何对付逆境的？

Like the CARROT, the EGG, or the COFFEE BEAN?
你是像胡萝卜、鸡蛋、还是咖啡豆？