The Story of Two Pots

聶守祥

不可否認，每個人都有缺點，但是如果我們能夠認識到自己的缺點，并加以利用，就可以人盡其才，物盡其用，最終取得成功！

A water bearer① had two large pots， hung on either end of a pole that he carried across his neck. One pot had a hole in it， while the other was perfect and always full of water at the end of a long walk from the stream to the house; the cracked pot only arrived half-full. For two years the bearer had only been able to take one and a half pots of water to his house.

Of course， the perfect pot was proud of itself. The poor cracked pot was ashamed of itself. It spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream， “I am ashamed of myself， and I want to say sorry to you.”

“Why？” asked the bearer， “What are you ashamed of？”

“I have been able to take only half of my load

because this hole in my side causes water to leak② out all the way back to your house. Because of this， you have to do all the work， and you dont get full value from your efforts，” the pot said.

The water bearer said， “As we return to the house， I want you to notice all of the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed， as they went up the hill， the cracked pot noticed the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path， and this cheered it a little. But at the end of the walk， the cracked pot still felt bad

because it had leaked out half of its load， and so again the pot said sorry to the bearer for its failure.

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 pots side？ Thats because I have always known about your flaw③， and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path， and every

day while we walked back from the stream， youve

watered them. For two years， I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to make my room beautiful. Without you being just the way what you are， I wouldnt have the beautiful flowers.”

Everyone has flaws. Were all cracked pots in some way. But if we allow ourselves to take advantage of our flaws， nothing goes to waste. Dont be afraid of your flaws. Get to know your flaws and you too can be successful.

一位挑水工有兩只木桶，掛在肩上扁擔的兩頭。一只水桶身上有個破洞，而另一只水桶完美無缺，從小溪挑到家里的水總是裝得滿滿的;而那只破桶呢，到家時只剩下半桶水。在兩年的時間里，挑水工只能挑著一桶半水回家。

不用說，那只好桶對自己的表現非常自豪。而那只破桶呢，卻感到十分羞愧。有一天，他在小溪邊對挑水工說：“我為自己感到羞愧，我想向你道歉。”

“為什么道歉呢？”挑水工問，“你為什么感到羞愧？”

“我一直只能裝半桶水，因為我身上的漏洞使得水在你回家的路上漏出來，這樣你的勞動就得不到應有的回報。”破桶說。

挑水工說，“回家的時候，請你注意看道路旁邊的那些漂亮野花。”

當他們上山的時候，破桶真地注意看了那些野花，陽光溫暖地照耀著它們，這使他的精神稍稍振作了一些。但快回到家的時候，破桶又感到難過了，因為他又漏掉了半桶水，他只好再一次為自己的過失向挑水工道歉。

挑水工對破桶說：“你注意到了嗎，只有你所在的道路那側才有花，而另一側卻沒有。那是因為我早就了解你的缺點，并對它加以利用。我在你所在的道路那側撒了些花種，每天當我們從溪邊回來的時候，你都給它們澆

水。整整兩年時間里，我都能采摘野花，裝飾我的房間。要不是你現在這個樣子，我就不會擁有這些漂亮的花了。”

每個人都有缺點。從某種程度上說，我們都是一只破桶。但是如果我們能夠利用好自己的缺點，就能人盡其才，物盡其用。不要害怕有缺陷。認識自己的缺陷所在，你也會成功！