Mrs. O -<P>I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking about you. A friend of mine sent the following to me this morning - I thought you might enjoy it . . .<P>> A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a<BR>> pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in<BR>> it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full<BR>> portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the<BR>> master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.<BR>> <BR>> For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only<BR>> one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the<BR>> perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for<BR>> which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own<BR>> imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of<BR>> what it had been made to do.<BR>> <BR>> After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to<BR>> the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I<BR>> want to apologize to you."<BR>> "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"<BR>> "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my<BR>> load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way<BR>> back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of<BR>> this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot<BR>> said.<BR>> <BR>> The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his<BR>> compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to<BR>> notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up<BR>> the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the<BR>> beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it<BR>> some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had<BR>> leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for<BR>> its failure.<BR>> The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only<BR>> on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's<BR>> because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it.<BR>> I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we<BR>> walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have<BR>> been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table.<BR>> Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to<BR>> grace his house."<BR>> <BR>> Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But<BR>> it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so<BR>> very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for<BR>> what they are, and look for the good in them. There is a lot of good out<BR>> there. There is a lot of good in you!<P>Take Care!!!<P>
