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The Cracked Pot

A water bearer carried two pots slung from a pole over his neck, one perfect and one cracked, to bring water from a stream to his master's house. For two years the perfect pot delivered full loads while the cracked pot leaked and could only deliver half. Though ashamed of its flaw, the cracked pot learned from the bearer that he had used its leaks to water flowers along the path, beautifying the master's home. The bearer showed flaws can provide beauty if we accept each other's differences.

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e_kentaro
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240 views

The Cracked Pot

A water bearer carried two pots slung from a pole over his neck, one perfect and one cracked, to bring water from a stream to his master's house. For two years the perfect pot delivered full loads while the cracked pot leaked and could only deliver half. Though ashamed of its flaw, the cracked pot learned from the bearer that he had used its leaks to water flowers along the path, beautifying the master's home. The bearer showed flaws can provide beauty if we accept each other's differences.

Uploaded by

e_kentaro
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE CRACKED POT STORY

A water bearer in India had two large pots,


one 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 in 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."

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots.

But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very
interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are,
and look for the good in them. There is a lot of good out there.

There is a lot of good in us!


Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life!

Thank you to the cracked pots in my life.


You have made life more interesting and beautiful.
Source: http://www.lovethissite.com/crackedpot/

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