It’s no secret that I love coffee. A most honoured daily ritual of joy – a hot, fresh cup of coffee enlivens all my senses and brings gentle contentment to my day (and also, I’m always much smarter after my coffee). There is a magic to coffee that goes beyond the functional and I am reminded of this beautiful story that was shared with me …
“A woman went to her mother and shared with her a challenge that she was facing, it was really worrying her and she didn’t know what to do about it. Her mother pulled out three pots, filled them with water and put them on the hot stove to boil. Think of the boiling water as your situation, the challenge that you face.
She then laid out an egg, a carrot and some coffee beans.
Now, she said to her daughter, you get to choose. You could be like the carrot, hard and unrelenting, but when faced with difficulty, the mother gently places the carrot in the boiling water, it softens and becomes weakened. Or you could be like the egg, soft and flexible, but when faced with a challenge, the mother carefully places the egg in the boiling water, it becomes hard and rigid. Or she smiles and reaches for the coffee beans, you could be like these coffee beans, when it faces a challenging moment, they use it to transform into something more, something different from before… she pours the coffee beans into the water and they both watch as together the hot water and coffee beans, swirl and combine to create a pot of coffee to drink – Now my darling, what is your choice?”
I love the notion of alchemising frustrations, challenges, interactions and situations that are not how you hoped they would be into something more, something different – it brings optimism, a flow of creativity and an openness of possibilities – a fresh future to be realised. The guide to an alternative response that can lead to a better outcome. Another reason to relish my daily coffee.
** please note I also love carrots and eggs – the story above is not a reflection of their true nature.
Love, Jo xx