| The
Cracked Pot
A water bearer in India had two
large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his
neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect
and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk
from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half
full.
For a full two years this went
on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water
in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed
of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only
half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived
to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I
want to apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What
are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past
two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes
water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my
flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from
your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for
the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the
master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill,
the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers
on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the
trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so
again the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did
you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but
not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your
flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of
the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered
them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to
decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he
would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Author
Unknown
Each one of
us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. Don't be afraid of
your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know
that in our weakness we find strength.
Martien
Eerhart
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