A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck.  One of the pots had a crack in  it, and 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  master's 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 in his master's house.  Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its  accomplishments, perfect to the end for which 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 do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to  the water bearer one day by the stream.  "I am ashamed of myself, and I  want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer.  "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load  because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back  to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do
all of this  work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to  notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the  sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.  But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because  it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer  for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only  on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's  because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it.

I planted  flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we  walk back from the stream, you've watered them.  For two years I have been  able to  pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you  being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."