SMELL THE FLOWERS ON YOUR SIDE OF THE PATH!

This is a really wonderful story…………

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. 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 woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course the perfect pot was proud of it’s accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of it’s own imperfection and miserable that it could only do half of what what it had been made to do. After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman 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 old woman smiled, “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.”


Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look at the good in them.


SO to all my “crack pot” friends, what flaws have you embraced? Whatever they are just remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!!!!

7 comments:

  1. Beautiful post .. this really hit home for me. I'm trying to embrace and look positively at what I no longer have/am able to do ~ for I know there has to be a silver lining ... again thank you for always being inspiring...xo HHL

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  2. Vanessa - I really needed this because I am feeling totally "cracked" today! Great story that I will share this evening (along with the 29 Days!) with my 9th Grade Faith Formation students. Thank you!

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  3. What a beautiful thought Vanessa!

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  4. Thank you friends for your lovely comments. It's still something I have to work on too; it's so easy to look at what we don't have. It's an on-going process for me, but this short story is a really nice reminder :-)

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  5. What an utterly charming and inspiring post, Vanessa! Thanks for making me smile and perhaps it will help me look at my flaws in a new way! Happy Valentine's Day, sweet! xoxo

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  6. That is so utterly fabulous, it made my lip tremble.

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  7. @Tabitha and @Sandy:
    Good to see you both here my friends. I'm pleased it touched a nerve with you both. I think we are all guilty at looking at our faults and not the "wonderful flowers" we really are.
    Lovely seeing you both here as always :-)

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