> 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 walks 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 two 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.
>
> SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell
> the flowers on your side of the
> path!
Author
Topic: A New Year's Message (Read 681 times)