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THE STENCH OF HATRED
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A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
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/ _% {% `( |& }) S8 K' CThe teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic
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. U' |5 B0 T* H1 _; C  o8 k# {bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name
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$ N0 m7 S6 G6 fof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that

8 x8 t7 I3 w: o9 d% {" m: H3 v% Ma child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number
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of people he/she hates.
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So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with

$ X2 b& O, c1 d' n' Y' Kthe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some

2 k, Z/ ?6 D! N! Y3 while some up to 5 potatoes.

5 \( X' x" I* ?: x  VThe teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes

; W& ]/ v& V. y. @6 Y4 C7 C' Nin the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
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Days after days passed by, and the children started to complain
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6 {4 L: j, k$ Q$ c8 d4 f0 [due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,

: ~: {. G, X! ?those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
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% p) O& S. B  o+ @8 ?week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
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/ {8 B- h! u) t1 @- FThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes

; a( F- Q/ Y% ]1 |5 F. Nwith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and

6 `5 k3 y7 [# S, v4 i: q& Sstarted complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
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3 a6 g3 u7 Q& M. xhaving to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.
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The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry

your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred

& z  J! {: D1 m9 S) h' mwill contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever

0 k- _6 h9 x3 qyou go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just

! E9 w8 V8 d# x6 s# j; c( p1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred

3 ^# w2 ~; L, `. t) K2 G- |/ c; Sin your heart for your lifetime???"
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1 n7 Y. B/ K8 U; U1 w% u" ]/ B"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;

& x4 W0 k7 S% ]1 F4 |, i& N3 C0 Wit is something you do for yourself.
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. q  l% m# t0 V0 v; z" e# e+ a" O+ \Give yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.