A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So to help the butterfly he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened; in fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly. What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were Creator’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into it’s wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved it’s freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If Creator allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly.

Barefoot and dirty, the little girl just sat in the park and watched people go by. She never tried to speak, she never said a word. Many people passed, but not one person glanced her way, no one stopped, including me. The next day I decided to go back to the park, curious if the little girl would still be there.

Right in the very spot she was yesterday, she sat perched on high, with the saddest look in her eyes But today I could not just walk away, concerned only with my affairs. I found myself walking over to the little girl. For as we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place for young children to play alone. As I began walking towards her, I could see the back of the little girl's dress indicated a deformity. I figured that was the reason the people just passed by and made no effort to care.

As I got closer, the little girl slightly lowered her eyes to avoid my intent stare. I could see the shape of her back more clearly. It was grotesquely shaped in a humped over form. I smiled to let her know it was okay, I was there to help, to talk. I sat down beside her and opened with a simple "hello."

The little girl acted shocked and stammered a "hi" after along stare into my eyes. I smiled and she shyly smiled back. We talked 'til darkness fell and the park was completely empty. Everyone was gone and we were alone. I asked the girl why she was so sad. The little girl looked at me and said, "Because I am different." I immediately said "That you are!" and smiled.

The little girl acted even sadder, she said, "I know." "Little girl," I said, "you remind me of an angel, sweet and innocent." She looked at me and smiled slowly, she stood to her feet and said "Really?"

"Yes, dear, you're like a little guardian angel sent to watch over all those people walking by." She nodded her head 'yes' and smiled, and with that she spread her wings and said, "I am. I'm your guardian angel," with a twinkle in her eye. I was speechless, sure I was seeing things.

She said, "And when you began thinking of someone other than yourself, my job here was done." Immediately I stood to my feet and said, "Wait, so why did no one else stop to help an angel?"

She looked at me and smiled, "You're the only one who could see me," and she was gone. With that my life was changed dramatically. When you think you're all you have; remember, your angel is always watching over you.

I've learned -- that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned -- that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I've learned -- that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned -- that you can keep going long after you can't.

I've learned -- that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I've learned -- that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I've learned -- that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I've learned -- that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned -- that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned -- that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned -- that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned -- that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned -- that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I've learned -- that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned -- that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had, what you've learned from them, and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned -- that your family won't always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to can take care of you, love you, and teach you to trust people again. Families aren't biological.

I've learned -- that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned- that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned- that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned -- that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned -- that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned -- that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I've learned -- that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I've learned -- that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned -- that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I've learned -- that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I've learned -- that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned -- that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals, or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain! I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine and your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with JOY, mine or your own: if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, or to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself: if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore trustworthy. I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty everyday. I want to know if you can live with failure, yours or mine, and still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes"!

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the children.

It doesn't interest me who you are, or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

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 to 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 up 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".

Moral: 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. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. There is a lot of good out there. There is a lot of good in you! Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life