Cracked Pots

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."

Each of us has our own unique flaw.

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. Don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know that in our weakness we find our strength.

Plant seeds and smell the flowers!