Mrs. Pekoe often made tea. She kept a plain little teapot on a low shelf near her stove and brewed a cup of tea in it for herself every day. She kept a larger fancy teapot on a higher shelf, and whenever guests arrived, she made some tea in the fancy pot for them. Mrs. Pekoe needed both of her teapots, and she enjoyed using both of her teapots—she loved tea!
Unfortunately, her teapots were not very happy. In fact, they were miserable. Every day the plain little teapot looked up with envy at the fancy teapot. It saw its graceful curves arching above, its hand-painted flowers, and its gilded edges. Then the plain little teapot would look at itself and see its own dull color with only chips and a crackled glaze for decoration. If only it could be beautiful like the fancy teapot!
But every day the fancy teapot looked down with envy at the plain little teapot. It saw its position on the lower shelf where it could be easily reached, and saw how often Mrs. Pekoe would take the little pot down and make a cup of tea in it. Then the fancy teapot would look at itself and see its own hand-painted flowers and golden edges merely gathering dust while it waited to be used. How important that little teapot must be to be chosen so often!
If only the teapots really knew . . ..
Connie is the mother of 5 children and attends Hope Protestant Reformed Church in Walker, Michigan.