An elderly Chinese woman had two large
pots, each
hung on the ends 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 my table. Without you being just the way you are, there
would not be this beauty to grace my home."
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.
So, to all
of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the
flowers on your side of the path.
Contributed
by
Charlene
Burgett
