"Bad Bricks"?
How many of us become discouraged—even to the point of thinking about suicide—because we see only the "two bad bricks" in ourselves?
The truth is, above, below, and on both sides of those flaws, there are many, many good bricks, neatly laid and beautifully aligned. Yet sometimes we fail to see them. Instead, our attention keeps returning to the mistakes. We focus only on what is wrong, think only about those faults, and eventually feel the urge to tear them down. Sadly, in doing so, we sometimes destroy an otherwise beautiful wall.
All of us have a few bad bricks. But we also have far more good, well-placed bricks than flawed ones. When we learn to see the whole wall, nothing feels quite so terrible anymore. We can acknowledge our imperfections and still accept ourselves with peace. Not only that—we can enjoy being with our partners and loved ones as well. This may be bad news for divorce lawyers, but it is good news for you.
I have shared this story many times. Once, a bricklayer confided in me about a professional "secret." He said, "We bricklayers always make mistakes. But we tell the customers it's a new design—something no other house in the neighborhood has. And we even charge them a few thousand dollars extra for it."
So perhaps the unique design of your house began as a mistake. In the same way, what you consider your own fault, your partner's fault, or life's mistake may actually become a unique feature—something that makes your time and your life meaningful—once you stop seeing only the 'bad bricks.'