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THE STENCH OF HATRED / \5 r+ C! b3 n
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: a+ t3 S) s" o; C# YA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. 1 v# |; y) V8 ]5 F& E
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The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic 6 Q$ P6 N8 `& _! f
) [* t. h2 G9 N: C+ zbag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name 2 Z! L6 F% m' ~! j
& p5 ]- D6 a) W& qof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that ! a+ r9 H# w1 k0 [3 C
% f" w3 v; V6 Y0 Y) v6 Da child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number $ q* G- h$ l% W' s( N* [4 R
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of people he/she hates. 3 |7 h2 ?. S9 h+ A j+ p; r" T1 Y
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So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
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. F% r+ }; B: U7 F }the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some % P) [2 z1 r& y: j& Q9 \
0 R. T7 Y* W+ |6 @4 c w2 ~ I: }3 while some up to 5 potatoes. " A. g$ ]' A* T; e$ N2 e$ @) W D
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The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes
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; y2 `. U5 d$ Z* v" B& Lin the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week. , I7 J1 ]4 A* V, l/ j2 d
, l/ G/ |4 F6 s: K3 IDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain & H l$ Z1 [8 }( R; f) q/ F
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due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,
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3 t: L7 {' y) x2 }) \5 Mthose having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 % m! f3 k. D% ? y8 C
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week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
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The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
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5 z. F1 h# z# Z$ I! C# Lwith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
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started 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. % W: {- ^' j2 v4 h/ \
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The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
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* o9 B0 M- S* ?; @! _2 A2 ]your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred 2 P7 Q! \4 s+ W8 Z5 u# z& R9 I
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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
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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???"
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"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
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* r+ ~. n3 e; lit is something you do for yourself.
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Give yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
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