THE CRACKED POT

A water bearer had two large pots, hung on each end of a rod which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered the full portion of the 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 half pot full of water to the 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, 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 to deliver only half of my load for the past two years because of this crack in my side which causes water to leak out all the way back to your masters house. Because of my flaw, you don’t get full value from your efforts.”

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path? That’s because I’ve always known about your flaw and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path and everyday while we walk back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my masters table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Each of us has our own unique cracks and flaws. But it’s these cracks and flaws that make our lives so very interesting and rewarding :)