Dear Diary,

Sometimes I just feel like a cracked pot; but then I remember the story of the two water pots. Here's how it goes:

Long ago and in a faraway place, a water bearer had two large pots. Each was hung on the end of a pole, which he carried across his back. One pot was perfect. The other had a crack in it. [That's me... and you ^.~]

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot was only half full. The pot was very sad about his imperfection.

After two years, the pot spoke to the water bearer, saying he was a failure and ashamed that the crack allowed water to leak out all the way back to the house.

The bearer said, "Did you notice that there are flowers only on your side of the path? That's because I have always known about your flaw. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path. And every day while we walk back from the stream, you have watered 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."

The moral of this story is: Each of us has our own unique flaw. We're all cracked pots, but it's the cracks and flaws we have that make our lives interesting and rewarding. You have to take each person for who they are, look for the good in them, and help them recognize their strengths.