As I sat wondering how to begin my weekly Friday post, a random childhood memory surfaced—my love-hate relationship with beans. Oddly enough, I didn’t enjoy eating beans as a child, but I absolutely loved picking them.
What started as a punishment from my mum quickly turned into one of my favorite tasks. Sitting with a bowl of beans, carefully sorting out the stones and debris, became more than just a chore—it became a personal challenge. Some of those stones looked so much like the beans themselves that I had to look twice, sometimes even thrice. That process taught me patience, focus, and the value of attention to detail.
In today’s fast-paced world, where distractions come at us from every direction, I now realize how valuable that simple task was. It trained my mind to stick with a task and see it through. Beyond picking out stones, I also learned to identify and remove ugly/bad beans.
As I got older, a friend introduced me to a quicker method. “Just pour the beans into a pot of water,” he said. “The stones will sink, the chaff will float, and the good beans will stay somewhere in the middle.” Genius. It saved me time, and I used that method until I eventually stopped eating Nigerian beans altogether.
But the lessons stuck with me.
Who would have thought so much wisdom could come from something as ordinary as sorting beans? Sometimes, life’s richest lessons are hidden in the most ordinary experiences.. Even the wisest man of his time, king Solomon, once advised, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.” Proverbs 6:6
I may not have something brand new to say today, but maybe this reflection can remind you of your own quiet moments of growth—of lessons learned when you weren’t even paying attention. And maybe it even inspires you to start picking beans for fun!
Remember:
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Even ordinary tasks(such as picking beans) can teach focus and discipline.
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Not everything that looks right belongs—discernment matters.
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There’s often a smarter, more efficient way—stay open to learning.
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Life’s lessons are everywhere if you’re willing to notice them.
Have a great weekend!
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1 thought on “My Bowl Of Beans”
Profound lessons. Talking about the love-hate relationship with beans, I think you’d reconsider after trying my special recipe.