The story is told of ancient times when a very unhappy man is a carrier of water. Each day he would make the trip to the community well and fill  large clay pots with water.  He tied the jars to a long pole and placed the pole across his shoulders.  He would then carry the jars filled with water back to his master’s house. He despised his job and wanted very much to make a change. However his master did not allow him to change and therefore he continued to make the trip two times each day to gather water for the household. He was very unhappy and his disposition carried over to everything he did. He eventually realized that while he could not change his job, his job did not determine who he was as a person. He had no control over the job the master gave him, only how he would perform it.

One day a fellow traveler motioned for him to stop. The carrier of water lifted his water-filled jars over his head and rested them on the ground.. The man said he had wondered about something for a long time. “it has to do with the clay pots,” the man said. “One jar is perfect in every way. It has no cracks, chips…the lid fits tightly. It is free from any blemish. Not a drop of water is lost from this jar. But the other jar has cracks and chips everywhere and the lid wobbles terribly. Water spills from this jar. The jar has to be half empty by the time you reach your destination. Why don’t you replace it with another jar? A new one, one more efficient!”

Looking back at the path he had just traveled, the carrier of water smiled and said with great delight, “Look my friend…..you tell me. On which side of the road do the flowers grow?

Reverend Wendell E. Metty, retired pastor, has seized upon this story and written a book titled, “On Which Side of the Road Do the Flowers Grow?” The book traces the lives of several people and the stories of their life as Dr. Metty illustrates the flowers produced in their lives. A wonderful read for self-help, recreational reading or as a devotion. Available on Kindle and hard copy.