The Broken Pot

A water bearer in India delivered water in two large pots that he balanced on a long pole across his shoulders. One pot was sturdy, but the other pot had a crack in it. In the time it took the water bearer to walk from the stream to the master’s house, the flawed pot lost half of its water. This went on every day for two years.

The sturdy pot was proud that it did its job so perfectly. The flawed pot was ashamed of itself. Finally, it spoke to the water bearer as he was filling it at the stream.

“I must apologize to you. I am embarrassed,” the pot said.

“Why? What’s wrong?” asked the water bearer. ”I’m broken. It’s no secret. I can’t hold all the water you put in me. I lose half of it as you walk to the master’s house. I’m of no use to you.”

The water bearer nodded. “I understand. But as we deliver the water today, I want you notice the flowers growing by the side of the road.”

The pot agreed, and on the path to the master’s house, it saw a long row of beautiful flowers. But it was still depressed because once again, at the end of the journey, it had lost half of its water. Again, it apolo­gized.

The water bearer smiled. “Did you notice there were flowers only on your side and not on the other? I’ve known about the crack in you all along. I decided to take advantage of it by planting flower seeds on your side of the path. You water the flowers every day. I’ve been picking the flowers and giving them to my master to put around the house. If you didn’t have your flaw, he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the beauty of fresh flowers. And they give me pleasure too-I see them every day as I walk the path. Because of your crack, I’m able to do and experience something I wouldn’t be able to if you didn’t have it.”

We are all flawed vessels. Like the pot, we’re ashamed and embarrassed by our flaws. If we could see past them as failures and ask how we can use them to our advantage, if we could learn to embrace them instead of pushing them away, we too could create beauty in the world for others. Our flaws can be the source of our strength.