The Rishi & his Broken Pot
Dear Kids,
A Rishi used to fetch water for his Puja in two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck.
Unfortunately, one of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
At the end of the long walk from the river to the ashram, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the Rishi delivering only one and a half pots full of water for his Puja.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect 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 great Rishi one day: "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your Ashram. Because of my flaws, you have to do a lot of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The Rishi smiled and asked the pot: "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them.
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers as an offering in my Puja. Without you being just the way you are, there would no flowers for my Puja!"
Moral:
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws that each of us have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.
Happy reading!
Uncle N
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