A water bearer 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. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one-and-a-half pots full of water to her house.

Of course the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for what 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.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I'm 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 this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

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've always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them.

For two years I've 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."