Dear Friends,

This was a great story sent to me last night. I loved it. I hope you enjoy it and smile like I did when I read it.

Have a happy Wednesday!
Pamela

(This was sent to me by another China adoptive parent)

A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of
a pole which he carried across his 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 bearer delivering only one and a half pots of
water to his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, for
which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own
imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half
of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what was perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke
to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself,
because this crack in my side causes to leak out all the way back to
your house."

The bearer said to the pot, "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.

To all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to
smell the flowers.

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