Tag Archive for: broken

All too often I hear people say they can’t do something because multiple sclerosis has caused their body to cease to function as it should. They see their body as imperfect because they are always doing something wrong. Their weakness keeps them from moving about as they need their body to function, their vision limits their ability to focus and maneuver their way throughout the day, their memory hinders their activities with failure to followthrough on much needed moments, and just showing up to an outing is too much work to handle so they decide to just stay home. That kind of life would wears on anyone.

I want you to know that you are not in this fight alone. Their are countless other MSers fighting along with you and leaving a trail of encouragement that will help keep you from being blindsided. We’ve got your back if you let us. I don’t know where I would be without such a great support system. It’s far better to try and fail than to never try at all.

I am reminded of a story about a woman who had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to her house, the cracked pot arrived only half full due to it leaking out.

For two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and felt miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, the cracked pot spoke to the woman. ‘I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.’

The woman smiled, ‘Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your imperfection, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walked back, you watered them.’

‘For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my house. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be such beauty to fill my house.’

You are filling the world with much more than you think. Don’t underestimate who you are, what you can do even when limited, and how important you actually are. I just happen to think you are the bee’s knees!