宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED
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+ N3 P: j+ {% W" c7 |, dA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.

+ E, |: O2 m; s6 VThe teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic
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bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name

of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that

  [% z8 y% \% D9 S, \a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number

of people he/she hates.

6 t' n% B9 y* @& BSo 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

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.

* D1 U& f" O* O2 E) ?: }Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain

due 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
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/ ?. ]/ M9 }( k2 X# Dweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
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- I# m; P; ]" \5 \# S; rThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes

+ f7 `, w; B4 _with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and

' i: s# f- A$ J6 ~4 \started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through

having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.
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( {8 ^0 B* s' D  t  B+ qThen the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.

The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry

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

8 ?# K+ B) N! i0 n" ?you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just

2 Z7 c  l) }- L( t2 w* Z1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred

* Y4 k  Q2 F) ^' Hin your heart for your lifetime???"

$ z3 k8 T6 @, I6 V5 B$ }) `9 J2 M- |"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
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it is something you do for yourself.
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+ G, n- }; X9 @Give yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.