A
Water Bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the 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."
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.
-- author unknown
This Room is Dedicated
to Debi Minor for her contribution to the Archdiocese of the Internet
God Bless You.