宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED
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8 {9 ^4 y! I' k5 V/ }8 pA 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
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3 W8 l/ n, [- J. Nof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that

6 w1 B% _% A( i+ x6 Ja child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number

0 W$ ~$ o, s3 s5 Z6 yof 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
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3 while some up to 5 potatoes.

5 q# n  ?8 J: eThe 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.

: ~# \, P( y: f$ T9 O" K& ?* BDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain

due 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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( K9 ?: B9 l9 |: t7 s; _week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
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$ ?/ h8 v# s5 L1 BThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes

# ]5 e  ^# G6 B7 H8 b2 e' ewith 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

! ?3 m0 o: h7 Thaving 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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0 x  r' W" u8 W+ |5 UThe teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
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your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred

will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever

( a$ w( z) {/ d1 }/ Yyou 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
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5 M% Z% g) ?1 x8 u2 e$ [4 p1 sin your heart for your lifetime???"

2 ~: X) k# w2 L, G2 y" y8 ^; W"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;

5 b* |: M+ C& N# S/ ?5 [6 rit is something you do for yourself.

% |! y- J$ t4 m0 R  M( q5 dGive yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.