Once upon a time, there lived an old Chinese woman who had two large bowls hanging from the ends of a pole she carried over her shoulders.

One of the bowls had a crack, while the other was flawless and always held a full portion of water. However, at the end of the long walk from the river to the old woman's house, the other bowl was always only half full.

For two years, this happened daily: the old woman always brought home only one and a half bowls of water. The flawless bowl was naturally very proud of its accomplishment, but the poor cracked bowl was ashamed of its flaw and saddened that it could only do half of what it was made to do.

After two years that seemed like an endless failure, the bowl spoke to the old woman: "I am so ashamed of my crack, from which water always leaks all the way to your house."
The old woman smiled. "Have you noticed that flowers are blooming on your side of the path, but not on the other side of the bowl?"
"I sowed flower seeds on your side of the path because I was aware of your special qualities. Now you water them every day when we walk home."

For two years I was able to pick these beautiful flowers and decorate the table with them. If you weren't exactly as you are, this beauty wouldn't exist and grace our home.