Once
upon a time there was a water-bearer in India who 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 pot 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 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 flaw.
But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives
together so very interesting and warding. You've just got to
take each person for what they are and look for the good in
them. |