103 - Two large pots - one cracked, other perfect

A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung at each end of a pole which he carried across his shoulders. One of the posts 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 two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for the purpose for which it was made.

But the cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and was miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made for. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day, "I'm ashamed of myself and want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the water bearer, "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for the 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 flaw you have to do all this work, but don't get the full value of your effort," the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot and with compassion he said, "As we return to my 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 note of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it a little. But at the end of the trial, it still felt bad because half its load had leaked out again and so it apologised for its failure once again.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path and none on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, I took advantage of it. i planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day as we walk back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without your being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."





Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But it is the cracks and flaws we have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html