宽容的心

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THE STENCH OF HATRED
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( f7 H0 {; t: }' J: U+ xA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.

4 y: c- Q( A, V  @8 _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

of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
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3 N$ B& x' |. M0 h4 Xa child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number
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1 }+ h" Z5 K+ n" x! I: @5 J6 f3 cof people he/she hates.

& V$ S3 \( t* s1 j* PSo when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
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the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some
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3 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.

Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain
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due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,
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- f, R- l) \$ f4 C7 s* E/ jthose having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1

* z- I5 u! T; `! `3 {3 V2 Iweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes

" l. M$ j! R0 V/ l2 Xwith 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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  E$ |: P. p5 ^( E- p# qhaving to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

( [- w9 W: {; ]$ o- fThen the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.

# B3 B9 {0 O8 \# WThe 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
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you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
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. _! f/ _" r: ~1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred

in your heart for your lifetime???"

6 h# |; S! a' v- }8 R9 D  A"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
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it is something you do for yourself.

Give yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.