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 the table. Without you
being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to
grace the house."
(writer unknown)
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!
06/07/07 @ 23:29