flaws

Subject: Cracked Pots


A Water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the
ends of a pole which he carried across his 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 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, and I
want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load
because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back
to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and
you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

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, and every day 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. Blessed are the flexible,
for they shall not be bent out of shape.

Thank God for all of my crackpot friends!