Intuition: Cracked Pots are Okay

"Cosmic Freedom" by Rassouli

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.  For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his house.  Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its  accomplishments, as well as it should for that is why 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 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.  I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to the house.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?  That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.  For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.  Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

- Author unknown