"A water bearer in India 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 full of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect 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 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. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts."
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path. Every day as we walk back, you've 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".
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. It's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them."
Quotations
"There are ten strong things in the world, say the rabbis: rock is strong but iron cleaves it; fire melts iron; water extinguishes fire; the clouds bear aloft the water; the wind drives away the clouds; man withstands the wind; fear unmans man; wine dispels fear; sleep overcomes wine; and death sweeps away even sleep. But strongest of all is loving kindness, for it defies and survives death."
"A Short History of Medicine:
2000 BC: Here, eat this root.
1000 BC: That root is heathen, say this prayer.
1850 AD: That prayer is superstition, drink this potion.
1940 AD: That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill.
1985 AD: That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic.
2000 AD: That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root."
2000 BC: Here, eat this root.
1000 BC: That root is heathen, say this prayer.
1850 AD: That prayer is superstition, drink this potion.
1940 AD: That potion is snake oil, swallow this pill.
1985 AD: That pill is ineffective, take this antibiotic.
2000 AD: That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root."
"Reverse Living: Life is tough–it takes a lot of your time, all your weekends. And what do you get at the end of it? Death, a great reward.
I think that the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live twenty years in an old-age home. You are kicked out when you're too young. You get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You go to college, you party until you're ready for high school. You become a little kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little boy or girl, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating. And you finish off as a gleam in someone's eye."