The Cracked Pot…………

A young woman worked for a merchant who lived on top of a hill.  She had to walk down the hill every day to collect water from a stream.  She had two pots to carry water, which she hung upon a pole and carried over her shoulders.  One of the pots had a crack but she still used it.  The woman would fill them to the brim and walk back up the hill. By the time she reached the house, the cracked pot would only be half full.

When the cracked pot saw water filled to the top in the other pot, it began to feel desolate and sad.  After a few years, the cracked pot spoke to the lady, “I apologize for my flaws.  I spill half of the water, I’m of no good”.  The lady replied gently, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to look at the path we traverse.”  The next time, the pot carefully observed the path up the hill.  On his side of the trail, the pot noticed beautiful flowers growing in abundance.  They were all radiant and looking fresh.  While the other side was always dry.

The lady then said to the cracked pot, “I had always known about your cracks and I took advantage of it to water those beautiful flowers along the way.  With you being just the way, you always are, the path uphill would not have this beauty.”  She further said, “Every one of us is unique and we all have our own flaws; it is our little quirks and faults that make us and the world so interesting. The perfect ones are always flawed.  I find beauty in your flaws.  Let yourself be flawed.  Change the way you are thinking and let your perception change towards life.  You are worthy and doing such an important work to keep the flowers in abundance.”

The cracked pot understood the significance of what his lady said.  He stopped whining and feeling sad for himself and changed the way he was thinking and all was merry and joyous from that time onward.