“The Cracked Pot”
(a Parable)
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A
water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole
which he carried across his shoulders. One of the pots had a crack in it,
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 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 to his house.
Of
course, the perfect pot was perfect for the task for which it was made, and
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. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this
crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your
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
bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on
your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?" That's because
I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side
of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them.
For
two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the
table. Without your being just the way you are, there would not be this
beauty to grace the house.
Moral:
Each
of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots.
It's
the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together interesting
and rewarding. You've just got to take people for what they are, and look for
the good in them.
_______________________
TPO
says ... Let us be thankful for all our 'cracked pot' friends!
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