Day three

The potter goes into the studio with big plans. Clay is prepared, water for the wheel, tools gathered, ideas taking shape, sitting at the wheel, reaching for the clay and slamming it down on the bat, hands begin to shape the clay into something close to the imagined plans. A compromise between the potter and the clay. A compromise that retains integrity for both the potter and the clay. The piece grows and the potter feels joy. Satisfaction at successfully creating a piece worthy of keeping. But the process isn't quite finished, hands have to smooth and complete the piece.
Careless hands, a slip in concentration, the piece begins to wobble a little out of control. The potter pushes the clay a little too far, the integrity of the clay is compromised. The final result looks nothing like the one in the potter's mind. It didn't turn out the way expected, or wanted. It started well, it had potential, but something intervened.
But the potter doesn't stop when the piece rebels. Clay is resilient. It can be reclaimed, reworked, reformed, hope rekindled as long as hands keep working. Starting over, beginning again the potter finds the form the clay wants to be in the end.
Disaster, disappointment, dashed dreams, anger builds. Life has a way of not turning out the way we thought it would, or should. People don't always participate according to the roles we write for them. Life may not work quite as well as the reclamation of the clay works, but some of the principles are the same. We may not reach the goal we set, but the trying is important. Reaching forward, working through obstacles is important. Not giving up is important. Learning to be flexible is important. Not breaking is important. But most importantly, not giving in, not changing who we are is important. Remaining true to who we are and what we believe in keeps us strong. It is this core of integrity that keeps us from becoming something we wouldn't recognize in a reflection.
Life knocked the potter sideways, the potter got back up and sat back down at the wheel. It took a few moments to catch a calm breath again, a little while longer for the hands to stop shaking, a little while longer still for the potter to find center again. The potter's wheel began to turn, the clay began to rise once more.