宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED
- |1 M+ S" N2 _0 N1 B4 }! s9 A
! n/ `1 ]3 C7 d+ w& M" E' T
A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
* A, T) S4 G& x5 z
The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic
1 z4 G) e' Y( G) l: \' g; P  x' H
bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name
! @  d5 c- S" r( W% L
/ ?/ V) @  D. x8 y, gof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
( }: r# T) z& W5 q
& x( J/ j& C# ^) ma child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number
( G: w/ M, S7 M) c/ G
of people he/she hates.

. o1 M2 O2 t1 [0 S% rSo when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
$ O1 J: J! a( q2 V0 T
the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some
+ x- V* J: |$ y
( A* N+ L+ A5 v" g: a3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
- v- ]$ T* d3 k
; d' d' O; t0 }6 a$ P4 X, CThe teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes
7 _, E7 @% U' e) r! J  h' G
in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
% z& }0 R# b) }" L+ C7 |' A  K2 p
) ?7 Q& ^/ Q5 i( {# e0 x% HDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain
' h+ X1 n4 ]4 E# u3 [" `
; ?! q/ e7 a  A8 q  ]due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,

those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
! q1 _# O, V5 H  @9 A# I# s
" a' p- e1 L/ I4 r* `week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
: m# B! I! K1 Q0 ?/ k+ V
9 m) E5 o. y& p& S& E% R3 VThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
7 A# q) N# L" w0 o" P# T- o9 B
2 o  J3 E" n+ s: V) ]6 I! j6 j9 owith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
* N2 e0 _' H6 t% O9 h, ~
( D, z, ?  U( C5 Mstarted complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
$ d3 _( {& A2 G7 b" m
having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.
& R. E1 i$ T" G$ w" }
Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.

1 d) K6 z7 _- X  e( n" u, ^The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
0 k* `" J: Q4 t9 q
+ q, m1 ?, q1 Zyour hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred

will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever

7 F2 [) [1 b. g  @4 o% pyou go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just

! \* Y5 w6 R/ N$ f. ]2 k. a1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
# V8 n; O) `9 F" Y! ?$ M0 ~
) f4 Q* b7 h( A% rin your heart for your lifetime???"
$ B; S; q. ]+ O/ N7 V
3 H! S/ M! x& A) f( \' N"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;

it is something you do for yourself.
# j% e7 k) v7 h- {3 `4 W- _# D' x
Give yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.