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 yrs 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 is the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives
together so 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. Remember to
appreciate all the different people in your life -including all your crackpot
friends !!!
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