The Cracked Pot

I heard this story a very long time ago and it has been on my mind so I thought I would share it again.

Once upon a time there was a woman that lived far away in a small village. Each day she would make a long journey to get water from a nearby river. She carried the water in 2 pots, each on an end of a long stick that rested along her shoulders and back of her neck. The pot on the right side of her on the stick was perfect without any cracks and contained all the water she filled it with when she reached her home. The other imperfect pot was on the left side of her. It was older and had some cracks in it. After she filled that pot it would slowly leak water along her path back home. By the time she arrived home it only held about half the water she had put in.

One day while at the river the cracked pot said to the woman, "Why do you keep me? I'm so ashamed of myself. Everyday you travel the long exhausting walk to the river for water. And everyday I am only able to hold half of your water by the time you reach your home. I am old and flawed and imperfect and yet you still hold onto me. I am ashamed of myself."

The woman smiled and replied,"You are beautiful and just as valuable to me as the perfect pot. I have seen your cracks which is why I planted seeds on your side of the path back to my house. Do you see the beautiful flowers growing along your side of the path? Your cracks water the seeds & are the reason the path is so beautiful with flowers. The beautiful flowers I have cut and placed in my home were grown on your side of the path. They bring me joy & beauty every time I look at them."

This story touched my heart for so many reasons. I easily slip into wanting to be perfect. This is such an awesome reminder that our cracks don't take away from our value. Our imperfections are just as valuable and as much a part of what makes us ourselves as our strengths are.

It's a special gift you share when you can recognize the goodness and beauty in another person's cracks and the one-of-a-kind flowers that bloom because of those cracks that make your own life that much more beautiful.

Have a great weekend, you guys.