宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED
0 R$ f% i& H( x' p; ]9 N
6 [4 Y" A$ G1 ?$ x
7 X( @* m% {" h& X. Q, o/ m0 |A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.

The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic

bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name

! ?- T$ H) M" P7 U5 `* zof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
9 b: }, g/ F" l: x" H  E
% s  Z, j$ [8 {. O4 y! ]3 `* ua child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number

8 `. W2 [. |9 t- c% E# rof people he/she hates.

: T7 ~. s9 U. S. r) t9 N; mSo when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with

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

3 while some up to 5 potatoes.

The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes
, j1 Z, @$ E3 c- ^" }  ]
in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
3 L8 j% |1 D4 }* f0 b/ x
Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain
9 @2 O, u+ J: [( n: K3 |2 P* u
due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,
5 y! m3 R! q/ _1 p( q5 {2 T/ P
those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1

, V1 C6 z$ G1 Q! M$ [5 Hweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

. D! q7 H. ^1 z; ]) dThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes

with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and

started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
$ k' X) J' y& A& p' ~- r$ z# K2 U
1 v0 k9 X: P5 h. ]8 p- ?7 j. jhaving to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

5 s3 N8 N. t4 y" qThen the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.

The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
3 T! t3 @4 P0 _" N+ v, _
& t, w8 n8 o* U1 _9 P' I7 z) uyour hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred
% c( q% U  H) P  h6 f
will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
- A5 ^3 a" u; P; D% `, b
2 A; |  y1 {+ ]9 ?, R, [9 Kyou go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
$ h& n; R0 o6 _% P, _
1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
, R) Y4 Q/ g0 ^3 L4 }# M* c* l
in your heart for your lifetime???"
! f; f0 n% q+ X0 u. i* B
"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;

) }& ?1 Y7 C+ r+ Lit is something you do for yourself.

Give yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.