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 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 only arrived half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman only bringing home 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 perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman as she filled it to capacity. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes my water to leak out all the way back from the stream to your house."
The older woman just smiled and said, "Have you not noticed that there are beautiful flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side?"
The pot listened, but still somewhat perplexed as she continued, "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 to my house you water them. For two years I have been able to pick beautiful flowers to decorate my table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace my home."
The pot smiled, replacing its attitude of self loathing and puzzlement with joy.
Each of us has our own unique flaw(s). But it’s our cracks and flaws that make each of us beautiful and unique. They allow each of us to have something interesting and rewarding to contribute when we come together as a group.
We must accept each person for who they are and what they have to offer. "If you look deep enough you can not help but to find something worthwhile in everyone."
Submitted by St. Kellene Francys Paul
Fifteenth Tabernacle Rochester, New York, U.S.A.