宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED
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* X! `# K" K, {/ |, vA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.

( F* w2 `2 G; C3 @/ Y* B7 EThe teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic

bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name

, P8 ~- V1 S+ W/ y' v# h: Oof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
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& S' ^0 f9 g+ }  pa child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number

5 Z' R: n% p& }1 R9 O) e* p: bof people he/she hates.

" ^8 |5 y) L4 RSo when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with

3 u' A2 n$ }+ h, \7 r/ Ythe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some
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3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
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The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes
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in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
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( |7 l3 `1 U: F- _( U5 Z- fDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain
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3 t! x6 O5 Y4 c! Gdue to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,
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those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1

week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

3 x; k& ^( L: g2 F! RThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes

$ N1 x7 Z. B8 s4 r* bwith 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.

Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.
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- P9 z' b& \8 w9 UThe teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry

your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred

7 z! f% u8 q: T" Wwill contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever

you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
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& ?$ L! P! Y1 b. Y( n/ |) }+ ?& U1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred

9 l* q5 E# |) T  i( k, ]; ?* vin your heart for your lifetime???"

, X4 ~+ r3 ]# T* j0 f- k"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;

- G/ p* {* h+ r7 v5 G- d) Sit is something you do for yourself.

4 b5 `5 g- g* I0 L6 WGive yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.