 
Cracked Pot
A water bearer once 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.
Of course the perfect pot was proud of it's accomplishments, perfect for that which it was made.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was only able to accomplish half of that which it was made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, the cracked pot spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream:
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all this work, and you don't get full value for your efforts," the cracked pot said.
The bearer of the water said to the cracked pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but none on the other pots side? That is because I have always known about your flaw and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. And so I am 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 our home."
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots!
But it is the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives so very interesting and rewarding.
Take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. Plant seeds in their lives from which beauty may bloom.
Author Unknown
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