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THE STENCH OF HATRED
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A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. , O' A O O- R5 ~
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The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic - i% \ T! l' A2 z8 U. q0 |5 c
/ M( ^, H, d$ \3 j, x3 T8 fbag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name 9 _' \9 H9 L5 v \# J
+ w2 w6 B, k, V$ L. x! y. qof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
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a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number ' l& c3 J: P, [0 q. p. g* ~
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of people he/she hates.
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c: L" q* e4 H. H& K5 rSo when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with ; I: F' z |+ g$ D! A: g- S$ @; n: J' o
0 A- {5 \' C: w7 K& Z3 Lthe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some
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3 while some up to 5 potatoes. . m' O% @$ S y. E- B$ F2 z! Y
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The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes & l! u: j$ ~! {" l8 ~
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in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
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Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain ' E( z/ W. X0 b* R# s& J$ K
# b3 y1 f( x+ q1 Odue to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, ' e, v& I+ ]3 u* a [
2 a& Q# }5 m/ _2 N# `3 e0 D4 q' ]those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
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week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
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The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes 5 h& S* z2 s8 z$ {
( ^7 q% m9 r3 H; D& G, J+ O8 X1 mwith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
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started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
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having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.
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Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.
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) r8 T, M, k4 \0 o4 A# {The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
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your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred
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will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
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, r# |8 l4 U$ t/ ?" i3 q) byou go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just ; n* `/ v" e' E3 a
8 f: K1 b+ I- I" E. O( G1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred & _8 G/ @& Y# ]/ A6 a
$ q- U r+ _2 f" o8 }5 B8 y- vin your heart for your lifetime???"
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"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
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it is something you do for yourself.
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% X8 e8 \6 r% y8 ZGive yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
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