Once upon a time there was a poor little broken Jug…

Long ago – when she was newly-made and fresh from the potter’s kiln, she was whole, uncracked, beautiful — and she held water like nobody’s business!

But along the way, people were not careful with her.

They dropped her, scratched her surface, banged her against walls, and didn’t treat her as the unique, sacred, rare and delicate creation that she was.

So over many years she became cracked, riddled with holes, and no longer was able to hold water well.

As the years wore on, she was in pain more and more around her less-than-perfect self.

And to make matters worse, she had the job of bringing water to the King.

Every day, a servant would carry her, along with another perfectly-pretty Pitcher – to fetch water from the well, and deliver it to the King’s table for supper.

And every day the Jug would feel badly about herself . . . because she would leak so much water that by the time she reached the King’s table, there was very little left inside to quench the King’s thirst.

Her heart grew heavy over the years, facing the fate that she would never be a “perfect” pitcher, and suffered under the weight of her own sorrows.

Finally she confessed this burden to the servant:

“My job is to serve the King. Yet every day I fail him miserably – because I only bring a small bit of water, while the other Perfect-Pitcher brings the King a FULL Jug of water every time. The pain I feel is almost too much to bear . . . “

Then the servant replied:

“Oh my sweet, sweet sorrowful Soul: You are not broken! Nor have you EVER failed the King . . .”

The cracked, scratched and worn Jug looked quizzically at the servant (and if she would have had a head, she would have scratched it).

“. . . Just LOOK!!!”

And the servant turned around, pointing to the trail:

“See all these beautiful flowers lining the pathway? The very flowers that I cut every day to place upon the King’s table for his pleasure and delight?”

The Jug nodded, looking at the gorgeous blossoms lining the well-worn trail.

“These flowers are all because of YOU – you silly, confused, oh-so-perfectly-cracked Jug! If it weren’t for your cracks and holes, the King would NEVER have such exquisite beauty to behold.

Sure, the Perfect-Pitcher serves an important role to the King, providing him with sustenance from the source of the purest well.

. . . But YOU?

Well… you help create LIFE, and exquisite BEAUTY!!!

Oh sure: without you, the King’s thirst would be quenched . . . sure. But. . . his SOUL would be without passion, awe, beauty and pleasure!

You have never for one day been wrong or broken or “less than” any other pitchers in the land. You have played your role perfectly.

I am just terribly sorry that you never knew this over all these many, many years. . . “

Hearing this news, if the Jug would have had a mouth, she would have surely smiled!

And the broken Jug FINALLY lived happily ever after.

The End.

So today, may you embrace, treasure and give great thanks to ingenious workings of the loving Universe — for making you, YOU. Perfectly.

Cracks, scratches, holes and all.

And to FINALLY enjoy your perfectly-imperfect journey . . . at last.

BUT . . .

For those of you still thinking:

“Sweet story, Stephanie . . . BUT . . . how does this apply to ME? How do my train-wreck traits and massive mistakes convert into pretty rows of posies, tulips and daffodils? (Gag.)”

Great question, oh Feeling-Less-Than-Unstoppable-One!

(Been there, felt that.)

If you’ve had bumps, struggles and pains in your past (or are in the midst of a royal Shit-Storm right now), I’ve found that digging deep and asking myself power-questions like these helps me BIGTIME:

• Have I grown stronger or wiser from it? (Or how might this situation strengthen me in the long-run?)

• Do I have insights and wisdom to share with others who might also be struggling with the same things? (Or once I’m through the storm, how might I be more capable of supporting others with similar challenges?)

• Am I less likely to repeat past mistakes because of these challenges?

• Did a challenge help open my eyes up to a long-standing hidden issue that needs to be addressed? (And before then, I’d been putting my head in the sand around it?)

• Have my challenges caused me to become more compassionate and understanding?

• Might my “personality flaws” be the perfect traits REQUIRED for a particular mission, purpose, future relationship, career or opportunity?

• If I’m experiencing a loss – what if Source is actually just making space for something new, sacred and mo’ better — to fill that gap?

• If someone has “rejected” me –– might that be Spirit’s protection, in disguise?

(Or insert whatever other questions come to mind that support your process.)

So: Think hard. Think twice. Really stretch outside of your rigidly-held perspectives. (Which is TOUGH to do, I know – especially when you’re feeling up to your neck in emotional quicksand!)

Even ask friends or colleagues to help you with this.

Or ask yourself:

“How might the Universe explain my “flaws” as positive and perfect?”

Whatever way you can flip your perspective around to something: HOPEFUL! POSITIVE! HAPPY! MEANINGFUL!

Because as my Guides remind me constantly:

“Every problem is a PERSPECTIVE problem.”

And although I know it’s tough sometimes, I’ve found it’s ALWAYS true. Without exception.

So go out there this week and rock a NEW perspective – flippin’ those old, outdated concepts on their heads, and crafting a new view about YOURSELF — one that makes all your flaws, quirks, habits, choices and chaos . . . MAKE SENSE!!!

(Because from the Universe’s perspective, it always DOES.)

Love to you, oh PERFECTLY Jagged-Broken-Wonky-Beautiful Soul!

XOOXOX

© Copyright 2018 Stephanie McWilliams LLC