There is a beautiful Chinese story – An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, 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 walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

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 house.”

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

Our relations would be so much juicier and friendly if every one of us remembers this. Basically everybody thinks that he or she is perfect and flawless, it’s the other who is wrong and vice versa.  So there is no common ground of meeting. But the irony is that we are living through relationships, it is part of our life. Imagine life without anybody to relate to.  Relating is an art, it is as creative as painting or making music.

The older woman in the story did not scoff at the younger one or made her feel  guilty about it, she planted some seeds instead so that the dripping water can be used in a beautiful way.

Wish we could do the same to each other : compensating for what the other person does not have, or use their flaws creatively. It needs compassion and love in the heart which can be developed by meditation. Remember the  elderly grannies or grandpas in the family who always extended their shoulder to lean on, their hands were there to wipe the tears of sobbing hearts. They would cover up the mistakes of youngsters and save them from a reprimand. Such loving hearts are missing in today’s system. Can they be ushered once again?