An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her shoulders. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water to the lady’s house. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For two years, this went on daily, with the lady bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfections 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, it spoke to the woman by the stream one day. “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 and said, “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 and so, I planted flower seeds on your side of the path. 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 have been this beauty to grace my house. ”
How beautiful and touching is this story someone sent me recently! Each of us has our own unique flaws. It is these very cracks and flaws that make our lives so interesting and rewarding if we had the vision to turn them into assets.
This story also sends us a message that we have to accept people for what they are and look for the good in them. There is also the other side of actually turning the flaws into opportunities just the way the Chinese lady did. Very often, we criticize the flaws and end up shunning the person with the flaws. But, as we all know, change is just beyond our perception of an end. There is always scope for improvement and reform. The crack is only that which is visible to the limited mind. The possibilities of working around the crack and making use of it lies in the creativity of the mind. The distance from the realm of the impossible to the realm of the possible can be covered only by an intelligent and adventurous mind that never tires or admits defeat.
Just as the lotus manages to shine in the midst of stagnant water and a rose among the thorns, the human being can stand tall amidst all negativity, on the strength of a dauntless character and effervescent personality.
Surekha Kothari
surekhakothari.wordpress.com
Speakingtree Blog: www.speakingtree.in/public/surekhakothari
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