Flawed and beautiful

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots was perfectly made and never leaked. The other pot had a crack in it and by the time the water bearer reached his master's house it had leaked much of it's water and was 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. 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 the pot 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."

Each of us has our own unique flaws.
We're all cracked.
But in God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
Don't be afraid of your imperfections.
Acknowledge them for they too can be the cause of beauty.
Know that in your weakness you will find your strength.

The Cracked Pot
Author Unknown

:::::
I remember Deepblue telling me a few weeks ago that encountering "the devil" will teach me stuff I would never learn from anyone else...

...and as always, she was right. You can be broken (or flawed) but that doesnt mean you are worthless--- only human and that you should TRY looking at where (or who) you are from a fresh "perspective".

My thoughts? It takes honesty to work on your strengths and courage to work WITH (not ON) your flaws. And it cant be "courage" unless there's fear. This is what makes it truly special - to admit and work WITH your flaws inspite of and despite of everything.

THIS is what makes you truly special each time you look at the mirror and recognize that the person looking back is flawed AND beautiful.

(This post took quite a lot out of me to write...)