Short Stories
Stories with Meaning
I love reading, but I especially love stories that have a deeper meaning hidden deep inside them. Like unravelling a beautiful woven rug, the stories have so much more to them than just what can be seen on the surface. On this page I would like to share with you some of the short stories that have really inspired me...
The Broken Jug
"There were once two jugs. One jug was big and strong and beautiful. It could hold as much water as it wanted and it knew that it was precious to its owner. The second jug wasn’t as big, and it wasn’t as strong, nor was it anywhere near as beautiful as the first jug.
On top of that, the second jug had a large crack down one side and could not hold as much water as it wished it could. Everyday, when the young man came to fill the jugs with fresh water from the well, the cracked jug would feel ashamed as it leaked water all the way along the path to the man’s humble house. It would look across at the big, strong, beautiful jug and everyday it would wish that it too, could carry more water and do what is was designed to do, instead of leaking everywhere and making a mess. The jug lived in constant fear, thinking that at any moment the owner would have enough of its brokenness and simply throw it away. What use could it be? It couldn’t even do the simplest thing that it was made to do! The jug yearned to please its owner, but everyday it felt more and more like a failure, as the crack grew bigger and it leaked more and more.
One day as the man filled the jugs and carried them along the path home as usual; the jug noticed that for some strange reason, the man would stop every few minutes to pick up flowers along the path as he walked by. ‘What on earth is he doing?’ wondered the jug. As the young man picked the flowers, he started humming to himself happily and talking to himself, “I can’t wait to surprise my wife with these beautiful flowers… its taken a long time for them to grow since I first planted the seeds, but I’m so glad I’ve got this irreplaceable jug that leaks and waters my seeds everyday for me as I carry water back home. I wouldn’t swap it for the world…without it, I wouldn’t have these beautiful flowers to give to my beautiful wife.”
The jug could not believe what it was hearing… all this time, it had thought it was worth nothing. Yet nothing could be further than the truth. The brokenness that it had wanted to hide away, was the thing that made it the most valuable. The jug knew now that it didn’t have to change, or try to be something it was not. It was perfect just the way it was." (adapted from ancient asian tale)
On top of that, the second jug had a large crack down one side and could not hold as much water as it wished it could. Everyday, when the young man came to fill the jugs with fresh water from the well, the cracked jug would feel ashamed as it leaked water all the way along the path to the man’s humble house. It would look across at the big, strong, beautiful jug and everyday it would wish that it too, could carry more water and do what is was designed to do, instead of leaking everywhere and making a mess. The jug lived in constant fear, thinking that at any moment the owner would have enough of its brokenness and simply throw it away. What use could it be? It couldn’t even do the simplest thing that it was made to do! The jug yearned to please its owner, but everyday it felt more and more like a failure, as the crack grew bigger and it leaked more and more.
One day as the man filled the jugs and carried them along the path home as usual; the jug noticed that for some strange reason, the man would stop every few minutes to pick up flowers along the path as he walked by. ‘What on earth is he doing?’ wondered the jug. As the young man picked the flowers, he started humming to himself happily and talking to himself, “I can’t wait to surprise my wife with these beautiful flowers… its taken a long time for them to grow since I first planted the seeds, but I’m so glad I’ve got this irreplaceable jug that leaks and waters my seeds everyday for me as I carry water back home. I wouldn’t swap it for the world…without it, I wouldn’t have these beautiful flowers to give to my beautiful wife.”
The jug could not believe what it was hearing… all this time, it had thought it was worth nothing. Yet nothing could be further than the truth. The brokenness that it had wanted to hide away, was the thing that made it the most valuable. The jug knew now that it didn’t have to change, or try to be something it was not. It was perfect just the way it was." (adapted from ancient asian tale)
Depression Confession
I came across this poem on www.depressionalliance.org/community/depression-confession.php and really adnmire the way the writer is so blunt and honest with thier feelings. Its so encouraging to see people opening up about thier mental illnessand using thier creatvity to express themselves and help others.
Depression Confession
I have a confession, I have depression,
But I feel that I need to explain,
I'm not just unhappy,
Or feeling quite crappy,
But for me I have total disdain.
I have a confession, I have depression,
So your knowledge I'll try to expand,
I don't need your pity,
So I wrote this wee ditty,
To help you, to at least , understand.
I have a confession, I have depression,
It's not that I'm just feeling down,
But as time has elapsed,
My whole world has collapsed,
It's no wonder I'm wearing a frown.
I have a confession, I have depression,
Why me, I will venture to ask?
Though I still get along,
And I try to be strong,
Still I'm rarely quite up to the task.
I have a confession, I have depression,
No sympathy do I wish to accrue,
Whilst I try to relate,
It's just me that I hate,
If I didn't, I'd be just like you.
I have a confession, I have depression,
Inside I feel turmoil and pain,
When it gets really bad,
Seems mankind has gone mad,
It's so lonely being the one who is sane.
I have a confession, I have depression,
My jumbled mind goes round and round,
There seems lots I should do,
But I'm stuck in thought-glue,
Like a clock-spring that can't be unwound.
I have a confession, I have depression,
And my brain feels like it's split asunder,
I feel so disconnected,
No function resurrected,
Will it stay spoilt forever, I wonder?
I have a confession, I have depression,
My feelings become so confused,
My mind's in a mix,
That I cannot fix,
Feel so guilty, why am I the accused?
I have a confession, I have depression,
At it's worst, seems like it's never-ending,
In my desperate zone,
Time flies, it has flown,
Just like rain, my spirits descending.
The Journey
Looking back…I can’t believe where I am today
I can’t believe that I have come such a long way
From the darkest depths of indescribable despair
I’m now finally breaking free from my living nightmare
And I’m beginning to feel the peace that I thought id never feel again
I can finally see the sunlight, through all the storm and the rain
I can’t thank my loved ones enough, for always standing by my side
And holding tightly onto me throughout the rocky rollercoaster ride
Thank you for loving me even though I was so hard to be around
Without you all, I wouldn’t have even come close to the peace I’ve now found
And I hope my experiences to now help others who may be in need
So that they too can know peace again – and from their prisons – be freed
The journey has been long and the road home has been so rough
Many times I felt like I couldn’t go on and that id simply had enough
But I want to show others there is always hope even when it feels like there is none
And it’s possible to be happy again, even when you feel like everything you had has gone