Cracked Pots

The Story’s been told many times, in many different ways. It still asks the same question, though:

ARE YOU A CRACKED POT?

Okay, you caught me. It’s an entirely rhetorical question and the answer is completely true:

YES!

The story is really simple but it’s moral is even more simple and engaging–if only recongized!

A lady would travel down into the valley each day to get water for the day’s needs. After filling her pots to the brim she would make her way back up the hill and each time before she made her way all the way to the top of the hill, one pot would be completely empty…it had a crack in it and leaked its way dry before she’d get back home.

Who would have thought that a Cracked Pot would have a conscience? Well, this one did.

In fact, after about two years of constant leaking all of it’s watery contents on a continuing basis, it finally spoke up to the poor water bearer:

“I want to apologize. For nearly two years I have severely failed you. Every morning, you take me down into the valley to get the freshest water only to climb the top of the hill to find only one of us remains completely full. You should just ditch me. I’m cracked, I have no use save one: TO LEAK!”

The water bearer only smiled and actually felt pretty bad for the confessing cracked pot. In her caring, compassionate way, she said, “As we return to the house at the top of the hill, I’d like you to notice the beautiful flowers along the way.”

Sure enough, as they walked up the hill, the Pot noticed all of the beautiful wild flowers that were sprouting out in all of their wonderful colors. As they neared the top of the hill, the lady asked the Cracked Pot, “Did you notice all of those beautiful flowers that were only growing on your side of the road as we climbed the hill? I’ve always known of your flaw…I knew you weren’t all CRACKED up to what you had ever hoped to be. But, you’ve got to know without you being the Cracked Pot you are, those flowers would have never been able to be watered each day; I would have never had the opportunity to pick them to give as gifts and to decorate tables. Without you, there would be so much beauty that would have never been able to be shared, appreciated, enjoyed!”

Are you a Cracked Pot?

Of course you are. We’re all full of cracks and flaws.

Worse: WE all most likely dwell on those very cracks and flaws so much more than recognizing the actual good that we do, that in fact, the flaws and the cracks most often produce.

Pssssst: The Crack is Golden. . .It too, has a definitive Purpose.

It’s true, isn’t it, some of our greatest flaws, our biggest goofs, our most embarrassing moments and biggest defeats have cultivated our most triumphant successes?

Worth reflecting on the next time you don’t feel good enough, smart enough, good looking enough, well, you get the picture: GOING THROUGH LIFE NOT WORTHY ENOUGH to make a Difference.

O U C H. . . .

Yeah, we are just a bunch of Cracked Pots. . . .

And. . .Ain’t it great?