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THE STENCH OF HATRED
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; D0 R1 M7 M5 U5 M& L& @( wA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
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* t4 }4 u, ]9 A6 t) v2 cThe 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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; C% n6 M  S7 ?8 Yof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that

a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number
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# ~/ o: t; u- S- D$ mof people he/she hates.
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( [, Y% r8 H5 @5 ^So 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

3 while some up to 5 potatoes.

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,

those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
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; Q; H2 P2 [2 Bweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

8 {* ]- R" a) H* H: H; }0 T, {4 BThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
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with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and

4 x$ g8 p) t/ L6 i5 S  b9 H& w7 j, Gstarted complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
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having 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.

5 A$ T8 R( e. P! T1 {: w. d1 p" FThe 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
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( X, V( U' c: _: O4 q6 Xwill contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
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' O+ c* m8 X- C6 Ryou 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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1 x( G( @6 {. s- xin your heart for your lifetime???"

5 J- ]' s1 Q6 D7 R2 D4 d"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;

/ [# E6 P* u! Z4 wit is something you do for yourself.

Give yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.