From a friend in Wisconsin...

Subject: Cracked Pots

>> 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 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter
>> failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the
>> stream.
>> "I am ashamed of mys! elf, 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!