Sunday, April 13, 2014

Teabags, hot water and character

The litmus test
I seem to have fully embraced analogies for some reason as you will have noticed. They are such a part of our daily lives and most of us can relate to the examples. Ok so we all know that when an egg is immersed in hot water, after a while it hardens to become a hard boiled egg. On the flip side, a carrot is already hard but softens when it encounters the same hot water. In either case, the water remains in its original form unchanged, but both the egg and the carrot change. The egg hardens to solid form, while the carrot softens. Both the egg and carrot cannot resist the changes caused by the hot water. Now take a teabag and put it in the same hot water. It doesn't take time to see the teabag effect taking over with the water changing colour and becoming another liquid called tea. After this process is complete, you cannot call it water again because the teabag has done some serious work on encounter and the water is now tea. The tea from the bag permeates the water and changes it completely. and the name water changes to tea. Now this analogy made me think about our own encounters with situations and people. Are we changed by what and who we encounter, or do we change things and impact others around us, creating new possibilities, influencing thoughts, perspectives, identities and visions with hope and totally different desired futures?

The Lesson
The story of the teabag gives me three lessons to share. The first lesson is when you are a strong enough person, you can be a shining example and influence and shape those around you and give them new perspectives and identities into a different future and destiny. Secondly, you cannot change any situation when you are not within it, but you have to immerse yourself in a situation to be of any influence and make decisions that are embraced. Even in business, opinion leaders (who hold referent power) are used to lead change initiatives through the effect they have in an organisation. This is confirmed by the fact that, if you take the same teabag and put it in cold water, it floats and does not change the water. With hot water, what happens is that due to stronger density, the water moves into the teabag and is changed. The police know this fact and they use it through undercover operations where they join forces with the same criminals they are trying to bust. Only when they have gone deep enough can they gain the trust required to crack the secrets and operations that can get the criminals locked up. The fact that it takes heat to change the water to tea brings us to lesson number three, which is that sometimes it is through difficult 'hot' situations that our character is tested. Heat is as uncomfortable as it is, has helped some of us be the people we have turned out to be, with the strength, endurance, determination and vision we have for the future.

The evidence
We need some heat to change our perceptions and release the influence within us for the benefit of others. Without hot situations, we are just floating around not impacting anyone and oblivious to what is inside us, which can change others around us when the correct temperature is turned on. With every encounter, I believe someone or something is changed for good or for bad. If one operates as a teabag, they are a frame of reference which impacts everyone they meet. They are not necessarily changed by situations and circumstances but they change things around them. I have heard of stories of ex-convicts turned philanthropists or drug addicts turned musicians. Most times if you trace these stories, you will find a teabag effect somewhere in their lives. Someone or something (hot) did some work and shaped their destiny for good. Now in life we have some real hot situations we encounter, and those are the ones that bring out character in us. So yes I want to be a teabag and be able to change things around me. As an ending note, Eleanor Roosevelt said 'A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water'. And all the ladies said.....Amen!

Image here

27 comments:

  1. Very cool analogy...though I'd go more for the changing situations around you than changing people. I'm not so sure that works. People have to want to change and then it comes from within them...that's been my experience. The best way to help them is to be a good example so that they have a desire to emulate you or your actions.

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  2. Indeed I agree Jackie. I will update the way I have made that come out in the post, as I also firmly believe its not advisable to try and change people. Just like the referent power example I put in, I believe we change people silently through as you say good examples and influencing, inspiring, motivating etc. That is basically the change I am advocating for.

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  3. I like the analogy of the tea bag. The hot water in our lives may be a wonderful opportunity.

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  4. You're the analogy king Welli. Hot water, like adverse situations, is a character builder for sure.
    http://flattiresandslowboats.com/2010/11/03/the-hammer-and-crowbar-technique/

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  5. Interesting, all the different ways that things are altered by hot water.

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  6. Hot water and tea, good combination I drink every morning :) I have to agree that by example we can influence others - hopefully it will be a good example :)

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  7. I love this analogy - I certainly would never have thought of it while drinking tea but its great. "Hot water" certainly can impact on our lives and often make us change direction.
    Lenie

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  8. Amusing analogy. But changing others we cannot do. We can merely make them think.

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    1. In the context of inspiration do you not agree that the aim is to be change agents to influence others to change their view or behaviour in a different direction to that they may be facing Catarina?

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  9. I like using analogies to get a point across. I don't think you change anyone but yourself and how you react to an given situation.

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    1. The best form of change comes fom within oneself, but others can be change agents that bring about that change, I believe.

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  10. Welli, an interesting post as always. I like your teabag analogy and think it was Nancy Reagan who said. A woman is like a teabag. Until you put her in hot water you wont know how strong she is. Same rules for men. I think you would do just fine !

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    1. Yes Paul, Nancy said it slightly different to how Eleanor said it. Nancy put hot water in-between the quote and Eleanor put it at the end. I actually had not noticed that Nancy also used the same quote, so I learnt something from your comment thanks for that analysis. I hope I will do fine, women are strong when push comes to shove you know! I have proof, being from Africa.

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  11. Good story Welli. I know this story and I get the message. It is wonderful to learn some morale from these cute stories. But, taking a note of someone in the comments saying that we can't change others, I don't think the story is about changing others.

    The morale of the story is that being an open minded person, willing to adapt to the situation and blending with it, not fighting it. Teabags represent a person who can change and grow and make a friend of an enemy! Isn't that amazing?

    Thanks for sharing!

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    1. I could not have said it better Kumar. It is indeed amazing how influence and impact works.

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  12. Hi Welli,
    I love analogies, metaphors and stories with a moral. I relate to the teabag story in this way: I made changes in my life far different than the experiences I had, in that suffering taught me compassion, and like Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." That's one of the reasons my motto is BE LOVE TO OTHERS.

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    1. Starting with the man in the mirror hey Bill?

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  13. Amen to Mrs. R! Great analogy, with some real food for thought. I think I'll share this one with my children. They are into tea lately and I think they're old enough to start thinking about these concepts. Thanks helping me make a teachable moment out of our evening cuppa!

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    1. It is an honour to know that my lessons learnt are being used as a frame of reference for these young minds. All the best Meredith.

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  14. wow a great read with points to ponder on, and I go by what Meredith said will let the kids read this. love the qoute at the end!!!

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  15. I love your analogies! They are awesome and a great way to look at solutions in a new way. I have been in hot water and these days I like to rise to the challenge. Thanks for the post. =)
    Sincerely, Crystal Ross

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  16. That Eleanor Roosevelt quote is such a great ending to your analogy. I can remember everyone who helped shape me, and so in a way, I guess I also strive to be like a teabag in order to change things around me.

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  17. Analogies provide clarity and this one was a great one. I love the idea of the tea bag and never thought I'd say that I wanted to be one. :)

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  18. You use analogies well. I love them because they give me a clear picture of what your point is.

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  19. Love the analogies. You can either be part of the problem or part of the solution. I'm all about trying to inspire others through my actions or having them learn from my mistakes. You keep on with the analogies because your are on point with them.

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  20. Carrot , egg , hot water and then Tea..... My mind was continuously thinking about the relation between them and their application to our lives , Your analogies were nice as before. Till the time you have explained I had no clue. But I personally believe it's really hard to influence other's lives unless you are in strong position to do so , normally we have to compromise.

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  21. Very good analogy. It definitely makes you think about things.

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