 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
THE STENCH OF HATRED 5 [+ V+ o# L% `2 _
* S' n1 H, q% V, n/ \
0 V6 t2 _0 R. Z% E% f2 {
A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
( ?% g4 p, w. M' U, s& l
; {% i/ E* A9 k. z i* EThe teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic
7 o" O8 U$ R2 n2 q! S0 @
+ O" a. s. ~; W0 S, I! [0 y1 Qbag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name ( b! \- O6 R4 T) L0 }. t! w
2 r9 z t4 b3 x: o& qof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
5 p0 j1 L7 Q! m" o
& R" y8 w* c2 ?. ba child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number
* k/ F |; q( K! O' u. z8 X% M q& b* w3 u7 ?6 s8 e7 p5 p
of people he/she hates. " x" X! T1 e6 C, a {. ]
( T$ W1 v2 c3 a8 m( wSo when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with 5 P( j+ i `/ [: F
, X" w# m% O4 p' wthe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some * R2 ]7 B6 N* l- M* B% p! i8 F$ Y
$ Q/ Y& M3 ~" ~' u2 Z/ I+ j3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
6 g- M9 ]. I9 @/ H& p- c6 U, T" n c
The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes / n g, F1 p- C8 S9 W, ?& ]
$ D* f3 Y0 R2 y+ b7 J: x a% j
in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week. 5 G( H% `' Q# |$ r! {) S6 Z
/ ]- X7 f7 o. T/ GDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain
& Q' a% [5 [; j/ I5 r* g
' m; N; l4 f4 L w t4 [6 [& \due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,
2 J) [& u; M4 y J1 u3 z f7 t! D* [3 `& }2 x: J- C, ?
those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 8 w2 }, ~' P( M$ R; I2 [" k$ [2 d
# J4 T% Z a9 b4 |2 W1 U
week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
! r# B2 g' }# H8 G7 M D/ D# Y& Q2 u& ?/ R8 q5 r3 L' N8 k0 i4 o
The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
4 ^ C+ O7 N) E( N( W0 N
$ w+ o0 Q# x0 k+ q0 G: X) ?8 ywith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and ! P# c2 L0 L8 w: c3 O3 X: v/ t
8 q3 U$ S3 [! x+ Q1 M) O8 `5 k" Rstarted complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
5 m: m3 d1 p) h9 K8 I$ s
" T7 n; i! d# e- o8 N! L6 K8 Jhaving to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.
7 p$ ]# ]' e+ V: N5 a2 Z( m
# Z" p/ I1 D- z( v! LThen the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. 5 o% `: T* J. A5 W
4 L* r7 k3 X4 y9 v* J2 A/ z
The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
) n. ]; @8 B" Z' o1 Y! I& v% a$ T3 ?) _: y. A
your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred 9 H* g* H/ E7 Q$ {
& N, E7 S" {; N( U
will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever ( O! x9 W( u* M4 M
5 g' Q( \) X3 Q$ _you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
1 n( j+ W5 W/ N; v" k7 y
% l* [- M3 m z7 j6 J& C. N# n, b& S4 ^1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
! x- ?5 K# t$ Z! d
$ [7 \/ {/ j8 G8 O9 Nin your heart for your lifetime???"
" _8 _) e& ^) G9 V c0 d! a0 }
. Y2 e! Y4 V( |$ v( a2 q+ A) U"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; : e& \7 }5 {# T0 u( z( R
* v5 J% H; T ]5 o3 o$ f# n! g
it is something you do for yourself. + W7 E }5 L3 p4 G5 a5 J4 f
! m5 N6 n" c6 s5 S6 a8 T- [2 XGive yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
|