Snow showery day
Quiet hush soothing the soul
Momentary March

This was sent to me by a friend. Thought I’d share.

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 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 a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she said, “Tell me what you see.”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” 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 coffee. 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 in 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.

“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?

Here are some good questions to contemplate:

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?

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?

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?

Thank you to this unknown author for the story and the questions.

As seen just outside the Ski and Snowboard Expo at Qwest Field Arena.

Hey asshole, if your car mindless behemoth is too big for a parking spot that is appropriately sized for the rest of humanity, this might not be the best way to “compensate.”

From Florence: Thanks Courtney at Seattlest for another whopping WTF.

And may I add that, to my knowledge, flipping of the earth’s axis hasn’t yet occurred (tho many sci fi writers have described this end of the world scenario where a hummer – of any kind – would be a handy thing to have for survival in the frozen wasteland) nor have we become the outback of anywhere.

I know the tough urban streets may feel like a fight for life during rush hour traffic but if I see you out there in your big ass monster machine, hogging the pavement, I’m bound to flash you the “What Could You Be Thinking?” card. (It says WTF on the flipside.)

I envision a phalanx of motorized wheelchair-bound people slapping chains on this sucker and hauling the hunk o junk to the dump while gaily humming, “We Shall Overcome or Aint No Mountain High Enough.”

Imagine the lyrical look of duh on the selfish egomaniac owner’s face when he comes out to find the reflection of his blank look mirroring up from the concrete. “Now where did I park my johnson-oops-expression of my lack of self-oops-roadhog-oops-vehicle?”

Well, buddy, when you find it (if you do), haul on up to the north forty. The fields need a plowin, the tractor’s broke and the horse won’t pull.

Now there’s a use for an ass.
http://www.seattlest.com/archives/2006/11/17/h2oh_no_you_didnt.php

This just sent to me from Marilyn:

Weighing yourself to get the most accurate result

I can’t believe I was doing it wrong all these years!

Thanks Marilyn and thanks Joe for your great sense of humor Joe-ks.com

thanks giordana at lemursgalore at youtube

thanks ana at colourlikenother on youtube

“Some people change when they see the light, others when they feel the heat.”
Caroline Schoeder

(This sent to me by my sister in law, Joyce, who is one of women’s finest, courageous souls, having survived… and triumphed over breast cancer.
Thanks Joyce for your bright, indominatable, beautiful spirit!)

**************
There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

“Well,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today.”
So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

“Hmmm, ” she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today.”
So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.

“Well,” she said, “Today I’m going to wear my hair in a pony tail.”
So she did and she had a fun day.

The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head.

“YEA!” she exclaimed, “I don’t have to fix my hair today!”

Attitude is everything.

Don’t you love having choices.

Have A Day!

Thanks Victor. http://www.echapafuera.blogspot.com

In any language, hugs are a symbol of caring, humanity’s good, an opportunity to touch and be touched in a world where these are suspect and sometimes dangerous.
I thank those who dared to stand out in the crowd of what we’ve become in our own lives: passersby.
These generous, risk taking souls remind us that, regardless of where we live in the world, what language we speak, what our beliefs, age, gender, race; we are connected. Our energy responds with delight each time we heed the human need for wholesome, good touch.
It’s what we give our kids and then tell them not to accept from strangers. For safety’s sake, we teach our kids discretion, discernment and self caring, which is a good thing. And it sticks with us for the rest of our lives; sometimes past the expiration date of childhood’s years. Just watch as adult people walk by as if they didn’t see this unusual person with the Free Hugs sign. Watch as they reconsider, go back, give a tentative half hug and journey on lighter and happier with kid smiles on former focused, serious faces. Watch how surprised they can be at how good they feel.
The joy is contagious. Feeling better for the human touch; given safely, freely with no restraints from the heart, sparks that connective, happy energy inside of each receiver till they become givers too. Watch some folks, big and small, really get into it with the abandon of the joy of the child alive and well and living inside each of us who breathe on this planet.
Watch the fun of it all turn to peace and a unity of spirit. It’s a circle of light.
Not a bad exchange for a couple of moments spent taking a chance on hugs!
Think I’m going to go out and hug a tree today too. An exchange of living, breathing appreciative energy that feeds the soul of both giver and receiver. That’s good energy too.
For free yet, already!