Carrie Baker – The Growth Collective

There once was a old toy with a broken hand, who was able to see brokenness in others.

Sometimes it was obvious, but mostly it was very cleverly hidden, but he could always recognise it in the other toys.

He would call them over, sit them down and tell them the story of how he became broken. As he spoke something strange would happen without anyone really noticing, and by the time they left him they were somehow less broken than when they came. 

Sometimes he took them to where they could be mended.

One day a beautiful doll walked by, she was made of delicate porcelain. He saw that on her face was painted a big bright red smile.

He called out a greeting to her as she passed, and she hesitated for just a moment before she continued to walk by.

The next week it happened the same way, but as the doll walked by, instead of a greeting he asked her if she had time for a story.

The doll turned her face with its bright red smile, and paused before coming to sit in the chair next to him.

He began his story, telling her how he became broken, and she looked down at his broken hand. As she listened to his story, tears began to run down her porcelain face. As they fell, her tears washed away the bright red smile.

When she realised her painted smile was gone, the doll felt ashamed.

“It’s ok to be broken.” He said quietly as he took her hand in his mangled one with it’s missing finger. She realised she wasn’t bothered by his damaged parts, she only saw his kindness, his care and acceptance. 

“We all get a little broken sometimes,” he went on, “But if we let the creator of all things mend us, He can make us like new.” He finished and gave her a twinkly smile from his craggy face.

The doll looked at him with a puzzled expression. “Why haven’t you been to see him yet?” She asked gently.

“Oh, I have,” he replied, “This is the best part of my story. I am almost like new, and on the inside I’m not broken anymore. All that is left is this hand, but it works just fine. It reminds me of how broken I used to be, and how much has been mended.”

He slowly stands and takes her hand, and helps her to her feet.

“Are you ready?” He asks as they stand there together, “Are you ready to be mended?”

“How did you know I was broken?” Asks the doll, surprised that he knew all along.

He thought a moment before answering, then he said “When you have been broken like I was, you can see it in others, even if it’s on the inside. But when you’ve been mended by the Creator, you can help others to be mended too.”  

As they walked together, he remembered the day he was ready to be mended. 

He remembered how the Creator left his hand as it was. to show other toys that we all get a little broken sometimes, and to help them to find the way to become whole again.

Photo credit :: WordSwag