We all know “that guy” or “that girl” who tells you how perfect they are about health. They are the ones who say things like “I ate Greek yogurt before the Greeks did” or “I make my own Omega-3 fish oil by grabbing a fish, oiling it, and add some Omega-3 to it”. They tell you they once stepped on a scale and lost 3 pounds even though they were accidentally carrying their bowling ball during the weigh in. They tell you this but they don’t tell you how hard they really worked or they don’t understand why don't get the same results because we are different from them genetically. This reminds me of a story that I will tell in a bit, but first I want to say that this Advocare 24 day challenge I’m on is pretty cool so far. The challenge comes with a mentor that checks in on you to see how you are doing and give tips to maximize the results. I’ve talked to them multiple times already and it’s keeping me motivated.
The story I’m reminded by this post is this;
Once upon a time, there was a wise old Chinese guy who had two large pots for carrying water, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck as Chinese fellows so often do in stories such as this.
One of the pots was beautiful and perfect and always delivered a full portion of water, but the other one had a nasty crack in it. 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 man delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house.
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 put on this Earth to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the man one day by the stream.
“I am ashamed of myself because this crack in my side causes water to leak all the way back to your house.”
The man spoke softly to 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 to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”
The flawed pot replied, “Thank you, dear man. I don’t feel so worthless anymore.”
“Worthless?” laughed the man. “Do you know what a talking pot goes for on eBay these days? The bidding is up to $4,500 and there’s still three days left…”
Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. Look for the good in each person you meet. And it’s true: talking pots will fetch a bundle on eBay.
James Pogue
