Broken Pot

Copy for Real Estate Guide Column for 12-16-05     (477 words)

REAL ESTATE PATTERNS
By Ken DuVall

SEASONS GREETINGS TO ALL

For my final 2005 column, here’s a story that I delivered day before yesterday at our last MLS Tour meeting for the year when I always do a reading for my colleagues. I thought it might be appropriate to repeat it here for you, my valued readers. It’s even got some “real estate” in it.

THE BROKEN POT
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his 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 his house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect 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. The pot said, "I am 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 a lot of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts."
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 have always known about your flaw, so 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 have 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."
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

I don’t want to offend anyone, but since I’m not one to worship at the Altar of Political Correctness, I expect that God will Bless and keep us safe, and I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas. Or, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, whatever works for you. Did you know the word “Holiday” is a contraction of two words: “Holy” and “Day”? So Happy Holy Days too, my friends! See ya next year.  

Ken owns Ken DuVall & Associates, Realtors at 3rd Ave. & Mangrove in Chico.  Ken was the 2001 President of the Chico Assn. of Realtors and the 1995 Chico Realtor of the Year.  See Chico MLS listings at www.KenDuVall.com and call Ken at 345-3700 for all your real estate needs. Free consulting.