Steve Calvin wrote:

> Here's a little story for ya:
>
> 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."
>
> 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.

What a charming fable. Thank you, Steve.

nancy