This is one of my favorite stories that I have always told my daughters when they were still toddlers. I came across this in my inbox again and felt compelled to share online. Kudos to whoever wrote this. If anyone knows, let me know so I can give  credit.

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of that warm and comforting Oolong tea.You will never look at tea the same way again.

Here goes:

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 the water

color and 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?

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 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 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 is crying.

You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you; to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life.

May we all be OOLONG TEA !!!!!!!!!

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And remember those tough times is when you become the strongest deep inside your core. Simply put when there’s a breakdown, there’s a breakthrough.

Want to give a piece of sunshine to others? Pass this article on.

“Today’s issues are daunting. People feel helpless. And yet the solutions are there. What we need is hope, connection and action. Together we have the power to co-create a sustainable, healthy, and safe world. Women can change the world.”

Indeed the right circumstances and the right people will show up at the right time, but only if one will take action. There she was – though busy with the big event of her husband, Jack Canfield, I pushed myself to grab a moment with her.

Inga Canfield, a kind and gentle woman gave me her time to talk about the movie-documentary “The Heart to Lead: Women as Allies for the Greater Good” which premiered at the 2010 UN Commission on the Status of Women Conference and at the Breakthrough to Success Seminar of Jack Canfield in Arizona, USA in which I was attending. She played a role in the movie, as herself, pouring her heart out on how women can create, contribute and take part in making the world a better place.

The Heart To Lead is a documentary film that explores the significant role women are meant to play in the evolution of culture. Through intimate narratives by women on the journey to self-discovery, The Heart to Lead explores the emerging paradigm of feminine leadership. Women have a built-in homing device to return to who they deeply are and to where they belong. The film shows women attuning to their strengths and connecting with one another, as catalysts for developing personal and social action. Therefore, a tapestry of women are featured, and taken as a collective they express a colorful profile of those in unison, guiding and serving.

Talking to Inga, I instantly felt a connection. We both appreciate the excellent message of this film – that there is a need for women to come together, get into conversations, exchange thoughts, and strengthen each other in becoming better persons and better members of the community – collectively addressing and resolving issues that affect women and the future of our children. Here’s my interview with her, along with a sneak preview of the film:

As soon as she returned home she took a quick action to connect me to the producer of The Heart to Lead. I am now in contact with Bonnie Kelley one of the directors of the movie. We are brainstorming on how we can collaborate to spread and share the message of the move during my world travel and most especially in my home countries Philippines and Canada.

For more information please check out http://www.imaginethegood.com. Listen to whatever your heart will tell you. Trust and spread the news. Imagine the good it can do to you and to other people’s lives too.