A water bearer in China had two large pots,
each hung on the ends of
a pole which he carried across his neck.
One pot had a crack in it, while the other
pot was perfect and always
delivered a full portion of water.
At the end of the long walk from the stream
to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily,
with the bearer delivering
only one and a half pots full of water to his house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
accomplishments, perfect for which it was made.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its
own imperfection, and
miserable that it was able to accomplish only half
of what it had been made to do.
After 2 years of what it perceived to be a
bitter failure, it spoke
to the water bearer one day by the stream...
"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack
in my side causes water
to leak out all the way back to your house."
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice
that there were flowers
only on your side of the path, but not on the other
pot's side?
That's because I have always known about
your flaw, and I planted
flower seeds on your side of the path..
while we walk back, you've
watered them. For two years I have been able to pick
these beautiful flowers to
decorate the table. Without you being just the way
you are, there would not be
this beauty to grace the house."
Moral:
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're
all cracked pots. But it's
the cracks and flaws we each have that make our
lives together so very
interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take
each person for what they are,
and look for the good in them.
So, to all my crackpot friends and relatives (and you know who you are) smile and be happy!