Embrace Your Cracks – Finding Beauty in Imperfection

I read this story that I want to share with you because I find it very beautiful.

An elderly Chinese woman owned two large vases, which she carried hanging from the ends of a long pole resting on her neck.

One of the two vases had a crack, while the other was intact.

Every day, the elderly woman brought home a vase and a half of water.

The intact vase was proud of itself, while the broken vase was terribly ashamed of its imperfection because it could only perform half of its task.

After a while, it finally found the courage to speak to the elderly woman, and from its end of the pole, it said, “I’m ashamed of myself because my crack makes you bring home only half of the water you collect.”

The elderly woman smiled and said, “Have you noticed that on your side of the road, there are always flowers, while there are none on the other side? This happens because, since I know you have a crack and let the water leak, I planted flower seeds only on your side of the road. So every day, when we return home, you water the flowers.”

Throughout this time, I have been able to gather flowers that have brightened up my home and my table. If you weren’t the way you are, I would never have been able to delight in their beauty and decorate my dwelling.

Here is the moral of the story

Each of us obviously has our weak side. But it’s the cracks and imperfections we have that make our life together interesting and beautiful to live.

You just need to be capable of taking each person for who they are and discovering their positive side.

A hug to all those who feel like a broken vase, and remember to enjoy the scent of the flowers on your side of the road!