The cracked water pot

Stories & Lessons · 3 min

A folk tale about flaws that turn out to matter

A water carrier had two large pots hanging from a pole across his shoulders. One was perfect. The other had a crack, and by the time he reached home from the stream, it was only half full.

For two years the cracked pot felt ashamed. One day it said: "I'm sorry. Because of me, you do all this work and only get half the reward."

The carrier smiled. "Did you notice the flowers on your side of the path, and none on the other? I knew about your crack, so I planted seeds on your side. Every day, you've been watering them."

The lesson

The part of you that you're ashamed of may be doing good you can't see from where you stand.

From the Quran & Sunnah

• Guilt & regret

More on Being kind to yourself

• Speak to yourself like a friend: Swap the harsh inner voice for a kinder one
• You are not behind: On comparison, timelines and your own pace