Cracked Pot {Insp}

"Cracked Pot"

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. 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.

To all of my crackpot friends and subscribers, have a blessed
day, and remember to smell the flowers!!!
Received on Sun Oct 10 02:14:20 2004