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THE STENCH OF HATRED
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* K* e6 M$ }+ [+ p+ [' U4 dA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. + D1 I& Z3 V1 M+ m9 \! |. C
8 N; G0 s& O; O5 S' _The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic E% u! B) w7 B9 V
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bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name
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of 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 , H# c2 |5 B9 _. c' K# p) B
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of people he/she hates.
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5 u, Z6 a6 S; p0 }So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
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7 M- L+ P c4 s: E9 @5 ^; athe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some r! G% j4 K) S. j7 P3 }/ U
9 W; A% N* L$ U$ ~* P. b2 q1 y$ K3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
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2 l4 C7 F8 Z0 V- u/ }- W5 u. k1 ?The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes ' ?& \, G! a; T% E
z& G$ J! m0 t o( q. Win 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
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due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, , ?( C0 c+ Z2 q( f
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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. 5 v/ X# i6 C' T8 m
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The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes ) C9 c( Q1 U# ~; V
7 X8 W5 g D2 _, }& _# x+ awith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and 8 Q: g# b0 g: U
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started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
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( w: g6 {/ _4 u' U% i7 Qhaving 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 1 B, r/ ^" n3 q& A# B$ h
+ r F2 ]6 ]! |2 A/ _your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred
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. @" n8 F; o; x/ i8 owill contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
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2 `! b! O: i. z5 h( |/ Fyou go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
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/ M1 n1 X2 |- q1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred ! x- G# x+ C4 n0 p
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in your heart for your lifetime???"
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" p; `. e: M, r0 p3 s"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; , M5 F2 W2 _2 l' |
\. X' x7 F- T. B+ Z$ ], bit is something you do for yourself.
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Give yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
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