BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL DEFECTS

So many times what we have harshly judged as a weakness or defect in ourselves is seen as a gift or a virtue by others.

For example, our own shyness can mean pleasant silence for others to be enjoyed. Even those gestures or procedures, which we hardly consider funny in ourselves can be an element of attraction for those who love us. Or certain blunders we tend to punish ourselves severely for are what awakens the tenderness around us, because they reveal our imperfection and humanity.

On this topic, today I would like to share a story full of life that my dear friend Francesc Miralles told me once:

“In India, a water carrier had two large pots hanging at the ends of a stick, which he used to bear on his shoulders. One of the pots had several cracks, while the other was perfect and kept all the water from the stream to the house of his patron, all through until the end of the long walk -when the broken vessel arrived there, it had only half the water left, instead.

For two long years, that event happened daily. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect as it was known to the purposes for which it was created. But the poor cracked pot was very ashamed of its own imperfection, and felt really bad because it could only do half of everything that it was supposed to accomplish for its duty.

After two years, the broken vessel spoke to the water carrier: ‘I am ashamed and I want to apologize to you, because due to my cracks you can only deliver half my load and you may only get half the value that you should receive for the whole’.

The waterboy replied compassionately: ‘Now, in our way back home, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers that grow along the path’.

So did the vessel and, indeed, it saw many beautiful flowers along the path. Even so, the pot felt sorry because there was only half within itself from the water it should be carrying in the end.

The waterboy said then:

‘Did you notice that the flowers grow only on your side of the path? I’ve always known of your cracks and I wanted to get the positive side of this: I planted flower seeds all along the way you walk, and every day you watered, and for those two years you did I have been able to pick these flowers. If you were not exactly as you are, with all your limitations, it would have not been possible to create this beauty’.”

And so, each of us has their own cracks, and they can arise droplets of life or joy for others.

Let’s not criticize ourselves that much…

Kisses and hugs,

Álex