WISE PROVERB



An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the
ends of a pole which she carried across her 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 woman bringing
home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection,
and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to
do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it
spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes
water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers 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 water 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 flaw. But it's the cracks and
flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and
rewarding.

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look
for the good in them.

SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember
to smell the flowers on your side of the path.

The other...

When I was thinking about asking Jill to marry me, I decided to sit with Mom and Dad to work things out. I figured, when you need advice on something, go to someone who is successful at it. Since Mom and Dad had a successful marriage I figured, who better to ask?!? So one summer day I plucked up the nerve to sit down and talk to them. It was in the yard, off the deck under those 2 trees by the pool. What a beautiful day it was. Warm and breezey. They were drinking those Kiers (sp?). I think i may have danced around the subject for a while, kind of nervous, then blurted it out. I don't remember the words I said or the speed with which I said it, but I remember the looks on Mom and Dad's faces... heh heh, it still makes me smile a little thinking about that. Anyway, the first things I remember hearing (after the blood stopped pounding in my ears) was Mom asking "... Well, can you imagine yourself living without this girl?..." I sat back and tried. When I realized that I really couldn't, I looked back at Mom to see she hadn't taken her eyes off of me. And she had that smile on her face. You remember that smile guys? The one where she turns her head a slight bit, smiles BIG. So big her eyes smile too...

I couldn't tell exactly how long she was smiling, but I knew that she knew the answer before I did. Hell, she probably knew before she asked. She usually did.

You all know the outcome of that conversation. You were all at the engagement party. You were all at the wedding. I would give almost anything to have had Mom there too. She was a large part of the reason I found the courage to ask Jill. I also wish she was there when I asked AL & Carol for permission to ask their daughter to marry me.

As Kevin requested, a memory... or two

I have a memory, I had just failed a class in my senior year of high scool and found out I wouldn't be graduating with my class (in Hudson, no great loss- BIG LOSERS ANYWAY) and I was sure I was dead meat when I got home. After hemming and hawing and delaying as much as possible, I made my way home. I was standing in the kitchen door and mom met me at the top of the stairs. I remember looking down at that red tape that Grandpa Donnelly had put down while I told her.

The only thing she said was "Oh Robert...". The disappointment was almost tangible. She came down the stairs and hugged me and cried. I realized at that point that she was disappointed FOR me not IN me - well probably in me a bit too, but she was hurting because I was. It was a low point for me, and whe shared it. Completely.

I went to my room. I can't remember why. Within what seemed like a few minutes, or maybe hours - you know how when you are distracted by your personal crises time does weird things, there was Mom at the door with one of her inspirational cards with a hand written note in it. Don't open it now. Take a while to get yourself together and read it when you can. "... never give up, keep going, you can do it..." I can never forget those words. I still have it. And there is where Mom lives forever for me...

In the honor of the upcoming holiday to honor a woman that we all loved, MOM, I thought I would start a post of a fond memory of "Patsy" that each of us might want to share. I will start it off, we may add anything as we see fit all the way up until MOTHER'S DAY.

I will ALWAYS remember the day MOM went back to work. It was something she said, something I could almost hear her saying at this very moment, she told me at that very young as I sat at the kitchen table as she took the time to tie my shoe's. She explained to me that she was going back to work, and she would not be home when I got back from school. She told me that if I needed her, she would only be a phone call away and that I need not worry. I do remember fondly that I did in fact begin to cry. You might ask why this would be a memory that I might bring up at this time. It is for this reason, as I was crying ( as any 5 year old would), MOM said to me, "don't cry, I'm not going away, I'm going to work. I'll be home soon and you'll see me then. You will always be able to reach me if you need me." I'm sure as time has passed the exact words might have varied, however, on her death bed, the message never did! I love you MOM, Happy mother's Day!