< A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a > >pole which he carried across his neck.One of the pots had a crack in it, > >and 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 master's > 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 in his master's house. Of course, the > perfect > >pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end 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 two 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, and I want > to apologize to you." > >"Why?" asked the bearer."What are you ashamed of?" "I have been able, for > these past two years,to deliver only half my load because this crack in my > side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's 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 water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in > his > >compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want > >you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." > >Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the > sun > >warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this > cheered > >it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had > leaked out > >half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure. > >The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only > on > >your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because > I > >have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted > >flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back > from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to > pick these beautiful flowers >to decorate my master's table. Without you > being just the way you > >are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house." > >what is the moral of this story.. > >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. There is a lot of good out > there.There is a lot of good in you!
