An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots. Each hung on the ends of a pole that she carried across her neck as she walked to and from her house to gather water at a stream. The one pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. The other pot had a crack in it and arrived only half full at the end of the long walk from stream to house.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half p…ots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. The cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, the cracked pot spoke to the woman 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 old woman smiled. “Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water 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.”
Each of us has our own unique flaw. It’s these cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. We just have to take each person for what he or she is and look for the good in each.
So, to all of my cracked pot friends, remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!
Love this and it is so true that we each have so much to give to make life around us bloom and to help others on their path.
How easy it is for us to forget that! We whip ourselves for our shortcomings, but don’t realize that perhaps there is some good in the flaws that we have. thanks for the comment Ruth.
I remember this story. It was good reading it again. 🙂
Thank you for reading it again. I don’t recall where or when I had seen and read it. But thought I would share it anyway. take care Matt. Hugs to you.
There is a really good lesson in that story.
I know. Hope you are doing well.
I am doing pretty well. Lots going on around here.
Lovely! And so true! 🙂
Thank you for letting me be one of your cracked-pot friends! 🙂
I often feel like a weed amongst the flowers, but I keep growing.
HUGS!!! 🙂
No, not a cracked-pot friend, and certainly not a weed. You are a diamond in the raw Carolyn. Thank you for being a wonderful friend. love and hugs to you too.
Thank you, Zakiah! Your warm kind words always feel like an embrace to me! 🙂
Good MOrning, Dr. Zakiah. I love this!! There is so much wisdom in that story!!!!
You are so right Frank. Old stories like these always have a lesson we can learn from.
Nice story. Thanks for sharing it.
You are welcome Eden. Hope you are doing marvelously well. Love.
That’s a nice story!
🙂 thanks for stopping by Chris. And, a very happy Anniversary to both of you.
beautiful. i think i have read this somewhere before. but still a good reminder for the many of us.