Two stories that help me to remember that what each of us have to give is enough.
From Music and the Spoken Word: Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
Cracked
Pots January 21, 2007 #4038
Sometimes we think we can’t help,
give, or do because we can’t help, give, or do perfectly. Maybe we think
our house isn’t clean enough to invite someone inside, or we can’t cook well
enough to have someone over for dinner. Such feelings of inadequacy can become
crippling. Not only do they keep us from nurturing loving relationships, they
also keep us from recognizing and receiving blessings.
The story is told of an elderly
Chinese woman who walked to the well each day with two large pots hung on the
ends of a pole she rested across her back. One pot always delivered a full pot
of water to her home; the other pot had a crack in it. It dripped water the
whole way home, and the most it ever brought to the woman was half a pot of
water. When asked why she continued to use the cracked pot, she pointed to the
trail of flowers that grew along the path. Years ago, when she first discovered
the crack, she planted flower seeds alongside the path where the pot dripped.
Before long, she began to enjoy fresh flowers all the way home. The cracked
pot, though imperfect, was as valuable to the old woman as the pot without
flaws.
And
so it is for us and our offerings to each other. A windowpane marked with the
fingerprints of children can be more beautiful than a window that is spotless.
A simple sandwich shared with a friend can be more nourishing than lunch at a
fancy restaurant. A love song from a devoted and aging husband, though perhaps
a bit off key, can be more meaningful than a flawless performance of that same
song on the radio. When our offerings to each other come from the heart, they
are all that is needed.¹
¹See
Luke 10:42.
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/01/a-potato-for-the-teacher?lang=eng
A Potato for the Teacher
I learned that I don’t have to give grand gestures of service every time. A small gesture of love is just as nice.
Photograph by Feng Yu/iStock/Thinkstock
As
an elementary schoolteacher of more than 25 years, I have received a
lot of interesting things from my young students. Silly notes, drawn
pictures, and imaginative crafts are common gifts. Last year, however,
was the first time I had ever received a potato.
“A
potato for the teacher,” young Emma said proudly when she came to my
desk, “because I didn’t have an apple.” It was a medium-sized potato,
scrubbed clean, and beautiful as far as potatoes go. I thanked her and
placed it on my desk. I saw Emma’s large blue eyes shine with pride
whenever she looked at it throughout the day.
After
school, when I was working at my desk, I couldn’t help but regard the
potato with a tender smile. Children see things so simply, and with that
common potato, Emma taught me something important. I left it on my desk
for over a week because it served as a reminder to me.
As
a visiting teacher and a sister in my ward, I wanted to serve others,
but I was always waiting for an “apple” before I took time to help. If I
was busy and couldn’t make an extra casserole or if I wanted to give a
special flower but didn’t get to the floral shop, I ignored the still,
small voice of the Spirit whispering of someone who needed my service.
“I’ll do something this weekend, when I have time,” I would convince myself. “Nobody needs me today.”
But
what if someone really did need me? What if I hadn’t ignored the
promptings to visit an elderly neighbor or the young widow who had just
lost her husband? Could I have helped or served, even with what I could
offer then—a “potato”?
I
learned a great lesson from Emma that I am trying hard to put into
practice. If I don’t have an apple, I give a potato instead, and I do it
now. I don’t wait to make a casserole or my special lemon cream pie; I
buy a box of cookies instead. I don’t often get to the florist, but I
can drop in for a chat without the flower. A homemade card would be
great, but so would a quick phone call. It doesn’t have to be a grand
gesture of service every time. A small gesture of love is just as nice.
I
have the potato at home now, but I don’t think I’ll ever eat it. It
serves as a constant reminder to serve when I’m prompted. I give what I
can now instead of waiting until later. A potato for the teacher really
was the nicest gift.
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