On the outskirts of a lonely village, at the foot hill of lovely tall hill  stood a lonely hut. An old woman lived in it all by herself. Self sustained that she was, she raised a tiny vegetable garden around her hut. In her garden cats and kittens played with dogs and puppies. The horse neighed at a galloping dear longingly. One hot summer the well went dry.

Midway to the village, a tiny pond lay nestled in the oasis of trees. The old woman began fetching water from the pond for her daily use. Every day she carried two clay pots to fetch water from the pond. 

One of the pots was a cracked one. By the time the old woman wobbled and reached home, the cracked pot could contain only half the water she carried. Days went by and seasons changed. One spring after noon, the Sound pot had a short conversation with the cracked one. 

Sound pot: Brother, You see, I am the one who carries more water for the household. Ma uses the water for chores and for maintaining a garden; where as you are half empty by the time you reach home.

Cracked pot: You are right brother. I am a useless one. That is why she interacts with you more and carries you around the garden.

After this short conversation Cracked Pot went into a deep depression. The old woman who was dozing over heard their conversation. She understood the pain of the cracked one but said nothing. Days slipped into months and the little conversation the pots had was forgotten.

One fine bright morning as usual she went to fetch water. On her return, the Cracked Pot started leaking. The Sound Pot laughed aloud as usual.  The old woman pointed a finger to her left side and said to the Cracked Pot, "Do you see those blossoming dahlias? Do you know who watered them? 

The cracked pot was puzzled at her questions. He thought she was ridiculing him. He waited patiently for the answer while the sound pot chuckled on.

“It was you who watered them every day.” And she smiled at the cracked pot lovingly and continued, “Every day when I returned you watered them through your crack, without your knowledge and in the spring they have all blossomed.  Never consider yourself below others. You may have a crack on you, yet your goodness lay in watering the wayside plants to their glory. Each one of you has done your job very well. You are both equally valuable to me. Nobody can do the other’s job. Each has to do his own work. She admonished the sound pot for cracking jokes at the cracked pot.

 The cracked Pot blushed and smiled at the flowers and they smiled at him in return.

The Sound Pot laughed no more!

Om Sai

~Sumathi~

9.50 pm

4th June 2012