|
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."
|
