Got this in an e-mail

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!

You crackpot you!

Thanks for posting it Mythsaje!

Did the email mention anything about the source of the story? I've never heard it before, but I like it.

I have no idea where it came from originally, but thought it worthy to share with my fellow crackpots here.

We're watering the LEFT side of the trail. LOL

thank you.

Thank you! :hi:

Kudos for posting it here. :D

Colour my world with happiness all the way.

:kick: and :thumbsup:
wiping away a little tear of joy

According to the Japanese, it is finding the beauty in that which is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabi-sabi

http://www.healingstory.org/treasure/cracked_pot/cracked_pot.html as does this one http://www.state.sc.us/dmh/bryan/wbful.htm

I was just wondering if we have a chance, any chance, of restoring democracy. you brought tears to my eyes. I guess there is always a chance.

:loveya:

I guess their cracks are so big they flood cities nearly out of existance.