宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED


% e; w( |5 M2 ~A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
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+ @; D  G& z/ G  L$ j6 S) b  tThe 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

of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that

" W, I( Z, l( z; M# c: za child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number

of people he/she hates.

So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
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0 }6 @( R/ e: `$ C/ b3 B! tthe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some

3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
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The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes

" O" N' z, o7 z/ xin the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.

Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain

: i* o* H% b; ^due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,
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those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
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+ w: ~/ h+ n" M! j1 m1 C7 iweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
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$ N5 y' R* u# g$ i! yThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes

' v% u4 ~$ f& s0 w- m. Owith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and

8 O6 {+ C0 [" Z: l7 fstarted complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
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+ z- ~' D7 h3 K2 C9 E0 d2 I) |7 _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.

The 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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! r( R! I; n3 ~* @& m: N; Dwill 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

0 r& H( V2 p2 }" [; V6 a& h. @% Qin your heart for your lifetime???"

+ L7 v' Z! x+ O+ q* U. `"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
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. `$ T" h3 c7 P/ A9 _2 J9 g6 e" [it is something you do for yourself.
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Give yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.