"A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She didn't know how she was going to make it through and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as though when one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each one on a high fire. Soon, the pots began 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.

After 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," her daughter replied…

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft...Her mother then asked her 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 went in 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 staying in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which one are you?" the mother asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which one 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 that 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. You change the worst situation into a better one.

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?

May you all be coffee beans. :)"

i was sitting on a little stool, eating at the burger king near the civic center library. i was sitting near the condiments.

a middle age, shaggy, homeless looking man with a mustache, wearing filthy, torn up clothes, came up to the condiments and grabbed a lot of packets of ketchup, salt, and pepper.

he was in a wheelchair and only had one leg, holding his small burger king bag with one hand and grabbing the condiments and putting them into the bag with another.

just as he was about to leave, his bag fell to the floor and all the food and condiments spilled out of it. he then mumbled something, sounding frustrated and sad.

i got up immediately, saying, "dont worry, i got it," while doing so, bent down, grabbed the bag and started putting the food and condiments back inside. i handed it to him and smiled, saying, "here you go."

he repeatedly said "oh why thank you, thank you, thank you so much..thats beautiful," with sincerity and emphasis in his voice. with an honest, friendly smile on his face.

then, looking into my eyes with his bright smile, he said, "you are a beautiful young lady for doing that. just absolutely beautiful. have a beautiful weekend now." he then strolled off to the doors, a random man opening and holding the door for him. he looked up to the man and said, "oh thank you so much, sir. thats beautiful."

and for some odd reason, i felt like crying. here this man was, living his life in a wheelchair with only one leg, sounding even happier and more cheerful than those who can walk and those who have way more than he'll ever have. its little things like this, especially those type of people, that make me endlessly grateful to be alive and have everything that i have. and make me think of life and say, in the homeless man's words, "thats beautiful."

on xanga!! whutta true..xangan? i am XD..DiDJU GUYS MiSS ME?! it just feels like "xanga-blogging time"..there were a 9123467BAJiLLiONasdjfklhlasdjkf other times but i was just too lazy!! XP..soOoOoOo whats been going on with me for the past 1 2 3 4 5 decades u ask? thisssss!! -ish!! =D

as most of u know, i never thought i'd say this but, i NO LONGER ATTEND THE ACADEMY OF ART!! and i never will again!! EVER!! D=..cuz i realized that graphic design isnt for me..i cant see myself doing that for a living; everyday for the rest of my life..its just a hobby, just-for-fun kind of thing..the passion, dedication, and interest i had for it wasnt as strong as i thought =/

ASDFJLKSDAJLFH all that money is wasted and down the drain and i can never get it back D=..the academy is the most expensive..thing..i've ever..known!! yes buaha..its frigging $8,000 JUST..keyword: JUST!! to get iNTO the school o_O..add to that all the materials, tools, and supplies and stuff which is like, for me was, $500!! add to that all the little extra stuff like bristol paper, canson paper, markers, pencils..all that artsy stuff, but the SUPER DUPER UBERRRRR HiGH-TECH ADVANCED PROFESSiONAL artsy kind..TOOOOO expensive!! >.<..well my time spent at the academy wasnt a COMPLETE waste cuz of the amazing experience and all the amazing ppl i met!! =D..and the school itself is amazing..everyone in it and everything about it is amazing!! just amazing..AMAZiNG!! haha..u'll agree with me once u attend it!! XD..so i dont regret it =]

so i never thought i'd say this neither but, iym planning to transfer to san francisco state and take..*DRUM ROLL PLEASE*..NURSiNG!! cuz its a very secure, stable, guaranteed everywhere, awesomeeeee-paying, rewarding job!! and cuz my oh so very filipino parents, my mom being a nurse, wouldnt stop bothering me about it >.<..i can kinda see myself being a nurse tho cuz i love helping and taking care of ppl!! =D..and the thought of prescribing medication, recording information, taking blood pressures and temperatures, bringing soup and hot chocolate to the patient..intrigues me and seems hekkuh fun!! haha..in the future, GET SiCK OR HURT so u can be whunna my patients!! buahahaha XD

but yenno how they say most students change their major 3-5 times? i never thought i'd be whunna them!! thats a huge smack upside the head and back to reality haaaa XD..ERGAHHHHH >.<