宽容的心

随便

THE STENCH OF HATRED
3 Y0 s2 y8 p; |! f9 B
% a% x; C5 e) W
  @2 G. T. k7 B7 MA kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.

8 j* V% Z- t( ]1 |The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic

' e' `- B, w( l+ mbag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name
9 K1 f$ {% V5 ]$ S
1 i- z* w: v; R% rof 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

of people he/she hates.

So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
( v$ j  ~- |3 |9 h2 B
the name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some

- h) N6 n% }: X5 F, a  |3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
, M8 Z! l& s% X- n
The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes

in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.

! i9 a, z% n5 F& d, l- S$ b4 Z, |. WDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain
) c* }6 t/ G6 f( S/ r4 s" @9 |
due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,

3 ?* Y+ J' o1 a! y/ sthose having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
/ w  A/ c% u: l5 u; \  B1 u7 P
' O, u7 V' e. p5 k( B! rweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
* g) X' E5 w1 T8 `
$ g0 s. G/ O1 A9 c' w; P0 m1 pThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
" S3 z  U, i0 `9 K* w0 o  O
( W3 B3 G/ I, M. c6 H4 u3 ^6 Pwith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
; Y3 ?5 u7 Z+ C; H' f% n  v- _
# @  I3 a. P1 b7 h0 a% F! Qstarted complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
) h4 s" t4 F  M& E
having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.
- l9 s& p2 k* {
7 G; C  N8 B2 UThen the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.
3 I6 u5 C8 M( r! A- W- y
The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
/ k7 i& V* d) i$ v! D
your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred
& P; p* l! B& S4 j, ~$ p1 x5 {
' Y/ ^3 A7 S8 S4 Nwill contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
( c- v' v7 {: f$ \
you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
; z8 N, l& `9 Y) T0 J
1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
5 P5 b" H# Q% L0 @
; r! d! B4 G+ g: {in your heart for your lifetime???"

/ r2 G) e1 ?% P* J/ ~"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;

it is something you do for yourself.
. {/ C8 Q1 _! |9 k# C
$ `, W3 K6 C7 B7 v5 A9 KGive yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.