 鲜花( 0)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
THE STENCH OF HATRED
' ^% m, I! z* ^$ `0 N( J
" [8 ?: o# }4 b6 R# {- \- f9 J r) k
A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game.
. V% Q6 K/ S. u$ g
* [% D7 f. n7 h9 C9 hThe teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic
# D5 c) {& R. F) a2 P9 U0 E$ e- V. x- V+ z$ P& z
bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name 7 Q" A& x* X* a8 k6 Z
+ C( n7 H2 N& o% S) e* @# Iof a person that the child hates, so the number of potatoes that 2 q7 ]' `0 \+ _: @9 R6 ]* E! Q
9 p- r& k$ @, Y) j4 j7 e8 V
a child will put in his/her plastic bag will depend on the number # t7 O- b9 o+ O `+ Q5 `% u6 B1 G
. R" i4 w! E; yof people he/she hates.
; ?& A: E% k* Z" o# z8 B E5 a
" [. B1 J) V: K* @/ A. @7 `So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with + m9 O4 V0 @# J, t) w2 Z; W
. A& }2 e, Z0 R7 n! E% Ythe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some ; S8 v H8 z5 N1 y- Y: f
( d. Z* x- m# w# Y+ Q2 W3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
* `2 X5 E/ T E2 I6 U* v& u2 G
j/ w: V }) v7 AThe teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes # i- l$ P# m+ W. R3 R2 i
$ R0 l4 q, L& |in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week.
. c4 D7 ?1 t5 b2 w1 {& J, w
( g8 ? t0 ?9 m' O) \$ FDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain
1 U7 o4 N. Z3 P! r. c. |, v2 j
# }5 C0 I3 p8 M1 y; P/ y+ R Ddue to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, " @! f- V* U# v
( P6 Q6 X' M1 w- p, h z
those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 8 e" F8 t& Y. q9 H0 A
! C4 _2 b% P9 s5 @3 [
week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended.
6 k g0 G) x- J0 ]' u: j6 r- F- L$ J4 t% i b
The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes 2 Q9 \+ j( g# s' o# v+ B
9 n6 H5 h3 C, s5 Q) b5 ywith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and , t# V" b( _) Z, [- E
0 a n9 e$ C5 O# H' W- F5 f. S
started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
( u& k8 v* |. w* k: s# n; G/ j) A3 h' H0 X. B5 c/ w5 x
having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go. 6 @% |" l0 B) E% n a3 @* p* ~& i5 Z$ b' q
5 Z) \; \7 N6 B& H$ o0 hThen the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. / e+ Y, t1 s# U7 e! Y& V
* d& a/ R7 Z2 H* z
The teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry $ Z) m: d/ W- e$ }& n5 r9 D
) f% o) q% V/ v( ?6 w; b; Uyour hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred $ V+ Q) [8 c- D
! U, _/ M# w* Uwill contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever
0 x$ n! n# u) t6 d3 P0 g) O1 ]: ^) }- V* C0 E. w2 t
you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just ; z6 d. ~9 @2 }: p
0 W# i! a8 o# n# [% Z5 ]+ B; r1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
+ q/ ]" J7 E2 k1 O4 o( j! F* _) h8 m5 Y* l6 G2 g, n
in your heart for your lifetime???"
" ?/ A: E1 C4 _- y! d
! C- q2 s' P! Z0 E; i"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; ) U! G* ?1 D7 A" X- }/ D( E; S* Y
) t$ s* R0 y6 N ]: \5 x! ait is something you do for yourself.
3 M/ W, q0 A0 [5 X; ^+ t& {9 n* f+ g4 p2 ^; H" L
Give yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
|