The Two Pots
(Shahzad Shameem, Abbottabad)
A Water Bearer in China had two
large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his 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 bearer delivering only one
and a half pots of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of
its accomplishments, 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 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 my water to leak out all the way back to your house."
The bearer said to the pot, "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, we would not have such beauty."
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.