TheBanyanTree: "Imperfections"

[Sharon Mack]

A very dear friend of mine who has moved away but we are still in touch
sent me this after a recent looooong phone conversation.  Thought I'd
share it with all of you....
 
"Imperfections" 


 
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." 

 
 

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 and relatives.