> >> >Subject: Crackpot friends
> >
> >
> >
> >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 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! And send this to any or all
> >of your crackpot friends within 5 minutes and see what happens!
> >