宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED
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A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.

( {1 y8 h' q3 o) U% ]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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: ~, ?, Y3 K# w- u& A9 W( `of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
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( q4 \# y3 O. _" e: ?. Aa child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number

of people he/she hates.

" n- o( H$ h5 FSo 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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+ ^# p: @) f9 }, P( B3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
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The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes

. S* [0 C  q% H3 ?- N( Yin 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

8 w% ^0 P3 k  w4 xdue to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,
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' P1 i3 B; K* W$ u: Gthose having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
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+ Z$ |  z9 f; O6 z; w: ^% Gweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
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$ y$ K9 Z# s% o  t8 V  r4 Fwith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
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0 Z( N, Q, M9 T% sstarted 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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# c& w( z, U( ~/ e) T4 r, }Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.
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3 z' _" M2 F+ [, KThe 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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2 V* I3 |6 s8 j% mwill 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
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1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred

. m8 f/ l+ B5 min your heart for your lifetime???"
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7 K3 Y( F% ?4 T" I"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
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. v# ]. O8 ]3 Q& j6 Hit is something you do for yourself.

Give yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.