A water bearer in India had two large pots, each on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other 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 proud of its accomplishments, perfect 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 because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.”

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 is because I have always known about your flaw and planted flower seeds on your side of the path and every day while we walk back, have watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you 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 are all cracked pots. But it is the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. Let us look for the good in each person.

Thanks to : SAMVIT No.54 – September, 2006 - Semi Annual Journal of Sri Sarada Math, Dakshineswar, Kolkata, 700 076 – INDIA.