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'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...
