 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
THE STENCH OF HATRED
, o- ?9 S; n( i. Y5 v6 K# m3 L% a0 B
) F$ V+ {5 S0 F( p
A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. 7 Y9 n+ B* ^8 X- X
1 i5 @- `8 N- S8 u# V: D. a7 _
The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic 6 V% k" B; Q% B2 W1 m
1 k3 }: ?+ f; {8 Ybag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name
; \# n" _! w+ X+ ^7 d# m7 g" V. W, w( [8 O# [* B8 X& |2 B
of a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
$ h4 R9 m, O8 f& T1 d8 ^8 c l ^/ W+ V$ Q
a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number , E& x) D+ B& E
/ I* L9 ^) a6 D1 K- w7 L! T
of people he/she hates. 1 Q0 R' w5 [( Z6 S% w9 I) ?% _
' b# O2 u/ Z5 O9 ~8 @So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with % \6 S5 Z! M7 {6 f7 S" |* O
7 l1 f' l& O3 p2 i) A
the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some
M( M2 [8 R' L1 `" K$ c, v
, k+ w- n, Q/ w; {9 g3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
; g6 ~) N) {: ^' G+ W" j; Y9 }- M9 k- H
The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes
, A. m& {& t8 D% N, i8 I% H, S; Q# J
in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
( O! \9 G, q- [) N5 I
2 x1 S7 _/ q# M; ?# X7 j# SDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain ( E- A, d& l% t2 b
0 M; T& ~) p* O- m0 mdue to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, & G4 ^& h0 e9 L6 E
3 q- ?) {5 J7 M+ Athose having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 _, W- D4 X) e& L
2 t. e V7 l. ?6 M' \) ^/ C
week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended. 2 a1 s1 D" X* K
* W y1 @) h2 _5 T' i* |& p/ v
The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes 6 l' T' S/ E o# \7 y/ e. q
# A4 D- S; r% r/ u* B
with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
+ [# ~/ [$ G2 c( B0 \* e3 u d* h4 e; W
started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through $ z4 @5 E P& q* m
6 q/ J0 u6 N5 Ahaving to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go. * W7 A: n R6 B7 o
* c8 e4 u# E4 Q! S
Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.
0 M+ u) z8 c, n
* D- R+ E6 n$ {+ P; ^/ ?2 AThe teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
3 V9 F2 b4 n- l# q6 V" s0 Y) A5 x( V6 q
your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred
$ n: L6 t; u r) ?4 g1 p
$ V2 D' C7 O B4 U! p4 b+ }will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
$ r; q1 u9 f0 c( t' } M
7 A1 [ l. ]/ o4 G' Byou go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just . J7 \0 @; D6 l% d
- S! @5 H& @# @8 E9 @7 U$ R. O
1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred 9 r7 c' B: `/ a3 K& ~
$ K* A5 {7 p% |5 N- `6 r
in your heart for your lifetime???" 3 a u) V; s {
4 G# Z6 C) N. _- S. I$ o: B"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
7 ?/ V! v: U. T: h$ p4 G9 e1 J3 o$ \7 \/ Z/ a% d' i, ]
it is something you do for yourself.
' G& R5 U$ P0 w
: ]; O, S" i, C) _6 UGive yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
|