宽容的心

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THE STENCH OF HATRED
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A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.

The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic
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4 b# T* t4 p: k; b0 O) n; pbag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name

* A) T- s$ n1 E& B! |( H' iof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that
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a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number
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9 {" v. S8 T+ u" R' jof people he/she hates.
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7 S" k9 ?* o! D! D7 u. V7 |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
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: z  U4 Y! {) A" W( M/ \3 while some up to 5 potatoes.

The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes

2 P7 k! c5 j1 K5 y) min 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

due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,

$ w: g& A0 p6 ^6 Zthose having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1
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( C/ T7 g" T5 ^# F% x6 Oweek, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.

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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) V8 n1 i4 E7 m$ j4 Nstarted complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
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, U- |( s- m8 T: L, ?& U( u7 Jhaving to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.
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8 N. @, P9 w2 u* |0 T; y7 l, VThen the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game.
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7 \( T- Q) G+ R/ d- d1 P6 lThe teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry

$ G  ?4 j# S* p# ]9 Y- Q7 I5 gyour hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred

* I  s$ S; j; z9 I' v* _* {1 `will contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever

) w8 Y% L& N8 @6 c* M! k' Qyou go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just
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1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
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in your heart for your lifetime???"

. k: x' T7 ]) c4 G) N& Y1 e"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else;
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. H, C6 L2 h: m, Sit is something you do for yourself.
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: F3 u9 K% M/ Z+ D: EGive yourself the gift of forgiveness"

connie

The implied meaning is simple but profound.