An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the end of a
pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots 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 woman bringing home
only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud
of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable
that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.
After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the
woman 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 old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your
side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?
That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower
seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you
water 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."
Each of us has our own unique flaw.
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.
To all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell
the flowers, on your side of the path.
Cracked Pots
