OT: Chinese Fable

[Guest guest]

Chinese Fable

A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of

a pole which he carried across his neck. One pot 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, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all

the way back to your house. "

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... 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.

Blessings to all my crackpot friends. :-)