Recently, my husband shared a story with me from his childhood that has been on my mind. To summarize, during a retreat he and the other kids were asked by an adult leader what kind of pot they wanted to be. Many of the kids described wanting to be a beautifully decorated and visually appealing pot or container made of delicate porcelain or other expensive materials. However, one young kid in the group said he wanted to be a simple pot that was used every day to serve others and provide function and nourishment instead of only being looked at and never used. That story stuck me with me and prompted introspection on what it means to be a different kind of pot or container in the world today.
As a young kid growing up in a working-class family in rural Georgia, any pots or containers we had were functional ones used every day for cooking and serving food or drinks. We didn’t have decorative pots on display. The only time I can remember seeing decorative pots or containers meant purely for show, were ones displayed on what my Granny Sis called her whatnot stand. She displayed small decorative glass perfume bottles in the shape of different animals, mostly birds, that she got from her friend Viola who sold Avon. Granny also displayed small decorative collectables on her whatnot meant to be seen, appreciated and enjoyed, but not used. However, they still had a purpose as Granny said, to provide something pretty to look at and enjoy and remind her of people, places, and things experienced. I fondly remember my Aunt Mott (Martha) also had an enormous collection of decorative salt ‘n pepper shakers from all over the world on display in her home. Even with five kids and lots of cousins in and out of her house, we all knew to be careful around Aunt Mott’s salt ‘n pepper shaker collection. They were never used functionally, but they reminded her of destinations near and far and provided a purpose to inspire and bring her joy while viewing her collection.
Fast forward, it wasn’t until adulthood when I moved overseas to Italy and England with the Air Force that I first recall visiting museums with collections of rare and historic pots or other containers meant only for visual display and appreciation, but no longer functional use. Some of them were created from the beginning meant only for display by royals or other wealthy people of power in societies throughout history. Others were originally created for functional purposes from the beginning to serve others in that period of time, but now sit on display only to teach us history.
Reflecting on my stories and experience, I see benefits and purpose in both the functional pots that are used every day in service to others as well as the decorative or other pots meant for display only to be viewed and appreciated. In our world today, the pots on display provide us with beauty, inspiration, and sometimes teach us about history. And at the same time, the functional every day use pots provide important functions to serve others in many ways.
Even pots that are broken with cracks and imperfections can provide beauty and service. I’m reminded of the Japanese art of kintsugi, which repairs broken pottery with a golden powder mixed lacquer meant to highlight the breaks with gold instead of hiding the imperfections. The broken spaces become the most beautiful, providing function and purpose to be appreciated as well as restore the function to the pottery.
Considering these stories and examples, going back to the childhood story my husband shared, what kind of pot do we want to be in life? I can see value in being like a beautifully decorated pot that brings joy and happiness to others. I also see value in being a common functional pot that provides service to others every day and is essential to meeting basic needs for food, water, and more. And I can see benefits to being a blend of pots that exists as both a beautifully decorated pot while also providing functional service. In short, our world needs and benefits from all the different types of pots, the beautifully decorated ones for display and the common simple ones for functional use, and every other type in between. Even the broken and imperfect pots may be repaired so that their imperfections become the most beautiful and appreciated attributes that also allows them to serve function again.
As always, I encourage you to reflect on your stories to consider what kind of pot you want to be in life. Sometimes we may be both kinds of pots and in certain seasons of life we may be one type more than the other. What are the ways you show up as a specific kind of pot? How do you bring beauty and joy and happiness to others by your presence and outward appearance and actions? Or how do you serve others? And how does which pot you choose to be in life provide inspiration or serve you internally as well? How does it contribute to your well-being and resilience and happiness? Because as a reminder, we can’t serve others from an empty or broken pot. We must repair and fill our own pots, our well-being, first before we may serve others from our overflow.
For example, right now, I choose to be a pot that is of service to others. One way I’ve done that recently was volunteering at church to help set up and serve dinner to our overnight guests who are experiencing homelessness. I’m also choosing to serve my fellow Veterans by using my personal time to make in person lobbying meetings to U.S. Senate offices to communicate my concerns about current events. And I attended a town hall event for impacted Federal Government Civil Servants who are facing job disruptions, offering my free career transition coaching services to help them transition to their next job.
These actions as a simple pot that serves others, also provides me internal benefits with a sense of purpose and resilience in the face of the chaos happening in our world right now. While I serve others, that service strengthens and nourishes me at the same time. And my hope is that my living example serves as another kind of pot that may inspire others to consider their own ways to serve. Simply being visible in some cases in how you show up in life can be an inspiration to others and an example of service, even with its imperfections on display like kintsugi pottery.
So, no matter what kind of pot you choose to be, consider how it may serve others, serve and benefit yourself, and make our country and world a better place for everyone.
And I am always interested in hearing and learning from all of you and your related stories because, Your Story Matters. What kind of pot do you want to be today?
