宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED


/ p; `3 R6 Q' U& qA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
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) _( p$ {: W6 w$ w; ^$ kThe teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic

+ `' p6 j+ k4 X& l, |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

a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number

of people he/she hates.
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So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with

the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some

- X# g# [7 A' u' U: J8 n3 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.
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Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain
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3 m( l9 p7 L. B) g! K" N# }2 J) fdue to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,

those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
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% ]# @5 r% Y; i* t0 iweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
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6 e* G9 ~/ `" K+ ]1 C% B+ O9 ]The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes

with 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.
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! @8 E3 x6 [: NThe teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry

your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred

" }9 \0 e, r: w8 b5 g  n5 Twill contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
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6 h% l0 B9 z& O. dyou go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just

1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred

in your heart for your lifetime???"
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5 C* @, |+ l8 Z+ F3 d& r"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;

: t! \+ ]7 x7 g* Nit is something you do for yourself.

' z3 F+ g; I* z2 n* VGive yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.