Monday, 18 July 2011

The Cracked Pot

The Cracked Pot
(Author Unknown)


A water bearer in the east 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 pots full of water to 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 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."




The Message





Each of us has our own unique flaws, but it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. Just like the pot never realised its unique abilities until shown, and how the water bearer utilised the pot's flaws to the goodness of its being. We too should be sensitive to our fellow man and of course ourselves. If you feel you have a weakness that holds you back, whatever it is don't let it pull you down, because the beauty is that flaw is 'speed tracking' your growth. A diamond was never created in its glorious state it had to be thoroughly polished to shine. The same is with your weaknesses, It needs to be worked on to become the most graceful thing in your life, and as with the water bearer's gentle kindness, he shows how important it is to take each person for what they are and to look for the good in them.

May you have an awesome week where strength is born from your weakness and that you have the eyes and heart to help others grow the same.


Darren Zwiers


The Quote:


“Our strength grows out of our weaknesses” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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