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 masters 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 masters
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 masters 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 masters 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 pots 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 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 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 our strength.
