Each of us has imperfections, flaws, and a crack in our armor. Such is life.
The problem lies not in the fact that we have cracks, but that we focus on our flaws and not on our contributions. We do not see our true accomplishments but rather how our accomplishments pale in comparison to someone else’s. We spend our time comparing ourselves to others when we should be comparing ourselves to ourselves.
Instead of putting so much time thinking about what we cannot do, how we fall short of our goals, our mission or purpose, we should spend more time celebrating what we can do, how we achieve what no one else is able to.
True friends know we have cracks but instead of condemning us for them, they help us find ways to use our flaws. They help to redirect us, re-focus us on what we do well. They help us spread beauty by using our flaws to our advantage. We need to focus on turning the negative into a positive, to see the glass as half full instead of half empty.
The next time you think your cracks are too big, or that someone else is better than you are because they seem to have no flaws, no cracks, think of this 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 pot was perfect and
always delivered a full portion of water.
At the end of the long walks 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 its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and
miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After two 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 your 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 for the
good in them.~~
May you always look for the greatness in others as well as in yourself.
Celebrate your Cracks!
