A water carrier had two pots; one was perfect, while the other had a crack. The perfect pot always delivered the full amount of water from the stream to the master's house, but The cracked pot arrived with only half its contents. The perfect pot took pride in its perfection, while the cracked pot felt ashamed of its flaws.
The water carrier said to the cracked pot, "I hope you notice the beautiful flowers along the path. I planted seeds along your side, and every day on our way back from the stream, you have been watering them." Those beautiful flowers grew because of the water leaking from the cracked pot, beautifying our home.
It is fine to strive for perfection and keep one's vessel full. However, if we can leave a small gap for the flowers around us, offering a little nourishment to others, our world might become much more colorful and beautiful.
We must distinguish between a "gap" and a "leak." A gap can be a source of life, but a leak can become a crisis—much like a leaking roof that requires timely repair. We have many ways to mend leaks, but the most difficult are those that remain hidden. A skilled craftsman, when mending a pot, does not rush to fix the crack immediately. Instead, he gently taps the area around the crack with a small hammer to probe for hidden flaws, making the crack clearer to ensure a thorough repair.
