佚名/Anonymous
A water bearer in India had two large pots. One of the pots was perfectly made and never leaked. The other pot had a crack in it and by the time the water bearer reached his master's house it had leaked much of its water and was only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.“I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”“why?”asked the bearer,“What are you ashamed of?”“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts,”the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said,“As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful fowers along the path.”
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild fowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot,“Did you notice that there were fowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side?That's because I have always known about your faw, and I took advantage of it. I planted fower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful fowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”