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THE STENCH OF HATRED
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& O. ~* G& s: Z& L6 s- w; b' }A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
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The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic
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bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name % I6 s" |1 m8 d; f& L
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a 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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$ S- d1 A, O" k) e/ ISo 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
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; E7 S4 w5 B4 z% q6 H) @1 E3 while some up to 5 potatoes. : e6 C% m2 p1 ?) g0 _+ G6 a
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The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes 6 Y% G, a# k( G
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in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
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$ Z$ @3 o' @$ U" `; n2 |9 J- i; aDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain
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" m( f: U; E6 ~9 d$ M7 t( V4 Kdue to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, 8 {8 Z9 j# Y, `6 _- m# j0 U
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those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
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week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended. # ^% j7 |. I3 K
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The 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
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@, S- u y- A! N% ]- ]started 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. % S6 {' K" ^- a& o: n
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Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. # ]3 W6 M, Z. S0 [1 T" v, m
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The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry
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6 z( a. ^" T, M" ?2 byour hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred
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will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
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you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just 8 q2 W+ c L% Z+ g
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1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred ; x$ E( |& f \5 ]0 q* B! K
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in your heart for your lifetime???"
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1 m0 S" j' O4 _5 I4 w6 c"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; 2 \) ~+ \ R+ Y f* A
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it is something you do for yourself. ! |+ `: ]; s& f& z4 F1 c: V
5 F0 i+ u: _6 g4 w5 t+ ^1 eGive yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
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