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THE STENCH OF HATRED
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; E8 e" _$ s' ~7 iA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
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" Q' c. `: l3 ~" T" ?The 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
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$ p7 R- {7 Y( ]5 nof 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
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of people he/she hates.
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4 x3 O& C+ c( n 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
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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. / e! J- {3 u+ G1 v0 F2 A. D0 M# _' b+ R
) c# [! t, h `/ i4 \5 u) CDays 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, 4 d. g7 N' Y+ D0 {9 m( M* y
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those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
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9 x) E* [+ P) H% E' [* |, Fweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended. - @8 \5 {0 h9 M( W
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The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes 2 Y9 M+ I0 z8 d v$ A
! z. y3 W. b7 G$ _0 G5 pwith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and 4 m! y' V9 F4 Y! _5 M
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started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through / m4 K& o1 j+ x- |( j' a! M
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having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go. ) R" E6 e$ |8 M& _/ }' b1 Z
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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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your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred # o' n, U% Q; I" }7 B5 ?% `8 R' J& v
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will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever 6 B1 \$ l6 a h4 y5 L9 j
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you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
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2 B5 P( z; S( t+ C4 a9 z1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred - r. z, V t8 v1 e2 ?( F8 q+ j
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in your heart for your lifetime???" $ [5 J4 I8 a4 V o3 p4 G
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"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; * H: ^4 d' Z3 A, k r2 R. T
8 j/ x$ g, I% K3 K4 Git is something you do for yourself. $ W" V# Y: r5 H# a1 J7 b0 y5 C' Z
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Give yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
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