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the broken pot 

Once there was a old man living high on the top of the mountain.  He had no running water, so each morning upon waking he would gather two pots - one new and one with a large crack.  He would place them on a long stick and carry them down a long path to the water, fill them both and carry them back.  Each time he would arrive home the old pot with the crack was half empty, but the man never seemed to mind.  He would smile and place the water in a large barrel.  When the man put the pots away, the new pot would laugh at the broken pot.

"You can even carry water.  You have no use at all." The new pot would say.  "The old man needs to get rid of you - you are worthless." The new pot would add.  This made the cracked pot feel very bad.  The cracked pot felt he was causing the man a great deal of extra work, and this caused him to question his worth as a pot.

One day, as the man came for the pots, the cracked pot could not hold his pain back any longer and said to the old man, "Why not toss me into the garbage pile?  I am old and I have a large crack.  Every time you fill me, I am half empty when you return from the water.  A newer pot would be better at carrying the water you need."  The old man just smiled and said, "Your right!  But I do not use you to carry water to the top of the mountain."  Placing the old pot on the pole he started to walk down the mountain.  The old man looked at the cracked pot and said, "Have you ever noticed the wonderful wild flowers along the mountain path?  Each winter I take seeds and place them along this path, and each spring they grow.  I love them, they make my day so much better.  I sometimes pick them and give them away to family and friends as a sign of my love for them.  You see, these flowers mean a great deal to me.  Each morning, on our way down to the stream you are on my left, away from the flower - so you can not see them.  Each day on our way back home you are so concerned with not spilling your water you miss them, but this time notice one very important fact.  You see, on our trip back, it is you and your brokenness that helps water these wonderful flowers - if I replaced you with a new pot, I would get water and not wonderful flowers.  So you see, without you I have no beauty on my trip, and no gifts to give to those I love.  You are greatly needed."