Mirror Of The Soul

A Look Inside
2001-05-02 17:33:24 (UTC)

Seeing Things In A Different Way (short story)


A water bearer in India 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.

For a full two years this went on daily,

with the bearer delivering

only one and a half pots full of water

to 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."

~~~@~~~ ~~~@~~~ ~~~@~~~




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