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 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 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!