宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED
4 f2 U5 N+ Z) W1 y

A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
3 [5 h; P% U" S4 s4 p& C
: @( E3 L* r# e. O1 z; V* MThe teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic

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

* B4 _# |- J/ i5 tof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that

! W; B" R; |# I8 ]a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number

0 v' t  R% R$ |of people he/she hates.
. t- m6 v! x- v; |; B
; `) K8 i7 F$ BSo when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
$ _1 p+ w) @) Y
+ T) J9 n" W1 y4 `+ ^$ hthe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some

3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
% r- g# U$ K& q# A! D; s8 `( z* G
The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes
. F# j- u$ q+ q
( j5 F8 M" q% c: I% Uin the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
9 a" q1 w$ C0 t( D0 _1 b
Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain
& B3 _- U% G8 m. E* q
due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,

those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
4 h- g( h4 |9 {+ q# N7 w
week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
( L) j+ U+ z7 L, p& c
! \1 O( b! L, |3 zwith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
8 Q+ H2 d2 A$ y0 ?6 p" F6 n
started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through

) |8 O& H" O+ W8 H* ?5 vhaving to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

* z% o( e9 W+ H- V% U) VThen the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.

The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
8 w8 @& e, I& D- Z! b7 n  J
your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred
3 G+ M2 Y, l: P8 V; t" D7 Z, r
, t% p( P) f8 B* Ywill contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
: [/ y) O5 `' s1 w, B4 @/ M
you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just

8 C7 i9 {; }  G1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
: d( x  D; C; ?0 T
8 e) o/ N0 f9 V! C: rin your heart for your lifetime???"
+ m) Y# p3 e5 v; g( B% e
"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
+ O4 T! E3 V# z! Z. b
it is something you do for yourself.
1 u( h8 w  V7 S6 l* l  l) `
! b/ K$ I' s/ B& ^4 CGive yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.