I came across this inspiring story in the social media which, I’m sure, will bring smile to your face too. An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots to fetch water, 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 walks 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 pathway and the house.’

All of us come to this earth like the empty, imperfect pot. Whatever we are and whatever we have received are gifts from nature. And, therefore, each of us has the responsibility to give back to nature and to society a share of what we have freely received. It doesn’t matter how little or insignificant that contribution may be, but the obligation to share remains.

Each of us has our own unique flaw, the realization of which should prompt us to treat others as equals. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them. A greater level of acceptance and sense of sharing should sprout from the realization that ‘what makes me seem better than the other is in fact my being more fortunate than the other’.

Persistent hard work to achieve perfection, coupled with cheerful acceptance of the imperfections in life and the willingness to share the gifts we’ve received with others will ensure a happy, contented life. So, to all of my cracked pot friends, remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!