Religious Dimension

 

The Cracked Pot.

 

A water bearer in India had two large pots and each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a large crack in it and the other pot was perfect.

The perfect pot 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 two years, this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half full pots of water to his master's house.

The perfect pot of course was proud of its achievements, perfect in the purpose for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it was only 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?’ The cracked pot replied: “I have been able, for the 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 this work and you don’t get full value for your efforts.”

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 flowers on the side of the path and this cheered it up. At the end of the path it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so once 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 the path but no flowers 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.