宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED
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+ K  I  f# T" m9 RA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.

9 z! n7 y1 g& PThe teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic
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( t/ g- t3 v9 ~bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name

/ ]" h3 H/ K" ~, L! @1 Z; Uof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
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; L( U( D  X* oa child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number
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, n- x5 v  [5 Y% S1 tof people he/she hates.

So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
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the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some
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5 b. b0 n9 j, K  B' z$ B  s3 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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Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain

due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,

those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1

* V. {6 X2 i& o6 Nweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

5 g  t" R4 \, n6 I: s# n" zThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes

" u. F2 E" ]/ H; v' Pwith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
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2 e9 C; {( ]5 Q9 b' {9 Y9 M% tstarted 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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The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
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" ^6 b3 V# A* k" y! byour hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred

will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
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you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just

1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
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in your heart for your lifetime???"

"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;

* P" U5 S  V" n2 s, ?' W, v- \it is something you do for yourself.
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" m7 T$ u2 z# D' y$ u* w2 xGive yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.