THE CRACKED WATER 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,
perfect to the end for which it was made. 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 it 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."
The moral of this story is:
Each of us has our own unique flaws.
We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we
each have that make our lives together so very interesting
and rewarding.
You've just got to take each person for what they are,
and look for the good in them.
There is a lot of good out there.
There is a lot of good in you! Blessed are the flexible,
for they shall not be bent out of shape.
Remember to appreciate all the different people in your
life!
