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 itsome. 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."
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. There is a lot
of good out there. There is a lot of good in us! Blessedare the flexible, for
they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different
people in your life! Or as I like to think of it--if it hadn't been for the
crackpots in my life, it would have been pretty boring and not so
interesting...
Thank you, all my crackpot friends...