A person carrying water had two large pots each 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. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
perfect accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection.
This went on daily for two full years. And finally the imperfect
pot spoke to the water carrier one day by the stream. "I am
ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked
the carrier. "For two years, I have been able to deliver only
half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak
out all the way back to your house," the pot said. The water
carrier replied, "As we return to the house, I want you to notice
the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up
the hill, the cracked pot noticed there were 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 the Pot apologized for its
failure. The carrier 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? 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 table. Without you being just
the way you are, I would not have this beauty to grace my house."
Know that in our weakness we find our strength
