 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
THE STENCH OF HATRED
! Y/ X7 n2 I2 z$ a$ I8 x2 N. G |1 g( f
6 g: e( G1 C; `/ I b
A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
6 x7 W7 j; X/ @! j4 T
/ u" X- T0 k) i! J7 h U- LThe teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic
" w$ c. m' w/ {6 x
9 n: L6 U5 Z) y: rbag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name 5 t# D& c+ ]% W; Z
' J1 C9 s* C% Q& C+ Hof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that % f9 u" K, Y7 q" S; D$ Z& o
3 q/ Z7 q: r# q# r
a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number 1 [$ K6 d1 S& d. w) i& i6 ^
, {% |3 d' H: t: i9 s& ]of people he/she hates. ; j$ x/ x3 a/ k
* C: S6 d; |' sSo when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with ; L( [# d2 q% a! y1 y' h
9 ]3 ?4 M7 L" ~* l0 d0 @the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some * b% p- ?' Q; Z9 n6 w$ O! d
0 t' E$ s4 t. O9 k( ]/ q3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
5 I3 U( v) K: Y8 S$ m/ I/ J, s! p2 n3 n! q% W
The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes
! `9 x+ S" |1 O8 v2 g* e8 w% u' u0 d8 g/ s3 Q! `% l* z9 J4 @! d
in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week. - r' @0 k0 {5 W4 G7 \
" O4 H9 m/ p' S# p
Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain
& _5 l9 x# m! n& W+ a2 @: x) r7 a# E$ y" |/ Y( o1 w
due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,
* x# Z4 O9 A, `. {6 {) R) x. s7 u" T' a; e9 N! ^$ K- m" t
those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 8 h1 b8 l" a# H0 c; v( k
, d2 B7 p9 f4 C' s6 w Q
week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended. : y5 `7 Q7 U4 O% j6 @- u: e
- n Y; p& K1 k/ b
The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
7 W2 p6 {3 Z3 a9 n" E( O8 U5 `7 Z* F B6 ~
with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
1 S" J% ]5 P) I8 K0 j S
7 U0 T# ~8 x8 ^% K9 d, |# ^started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through C$ \/ i7 [1 p) u( T6 ]
' G& k1 J( _3 i; Z( J3 |; o& Mhaving to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go. & ?( a0 _/ O& o9 y6 w
+ V: P3 o) U% J# B' R4 `- @, H
Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. $ j3 U1 X( c% W9 q2 t7 L* d
8 Y* |5 s# l3 B$ A8 Z2 R) b
The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry 5 U5 N) N U, r# X, v/ N% @' P! ~
5 q# X' G* `# W. D3 }) A' o1 c
your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred ' a8 n) P6 B) v8 \( g9 K8 G, l+ l
Z( y: w3 u+ r T
will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
' M9 h* s# Z5 |" ~( w: z) c O6 P& \9 E8 `# c7 i
you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
0 k# P1 c+ e: S0 J# `- }6 E! ` \* `, Z7 K, g7 ^3 z( ~- y
1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred ( H3 F& I" \. t8 J+ \) t8 u5 _
) a- s, Y1 C8 S: K
in your heart for your lifetime???"
( e0 X+ I: s4 x3 @2 L. X$ c9 {; }' ~2 A# j/ {" t4 P5 K
"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; 6 i. Z# ?8 [* n5 G
) d, p8 N9 F- y# O4 L
it is something you do for yourself. 1 t( l$ w. k( W# @) c' L) O$ a! Y+ L- J
4 O# ~0 x' I0 F% V6 B
Give yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
|