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THE STENCH OF HATRED
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7 \) M M8 E" `9 K7 O& T3 [A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. 0 N& ^6 Z: M; w9 h0 d3 N
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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
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" u" @+ n, w, ]7 Aof 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 1 h% w& ^. ^8 [/ ~* B/ V
" G! h( q% n0 S4 b$ _of people he/she hates.
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2 Z: M% y; u) R' }So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with
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~1 o+ W" U$ T+ f4 l/ zthe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some + ]8 H2 J( _- u9 E/ G
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3 while some up to 5 potatoes.
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The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes
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in the plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for 1 week. ) Y7 n; p5 d4 \+ b' ^3 b
1 l$ l3 `$ h0 m6 W" J4 {& qDays after days passed by, and the children started to complain . C/ x, ^1 [0 J6 {* ]& w4 Z
# e3 h3 t' u! c- Q2 J& o+ bdue to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, , v- R t g6 A. |3 z
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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. % d" {+ I6 e# e N
& f' e4 [6 ~( R1 a' Z2 MThe teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes
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: e' \# G$ p' q; kwith you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and 1 z: f" j! ^/ m) W
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started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through & _. G/ q# w0 Z' l5 p% J
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having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.
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- x( M4 a$ p+ P zThen 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
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your 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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2 Q& O1 ?) c+ `+ q! ?4 _( ]you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just $ s% g6 w3 A$ j, ^* y7 Y# c
; _- c* \* I3 O8 @/ z1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
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2 A) U9 Z; @+ p# gin your heart for your lifetime???" # F2 ?4 ~' b' R! ~5 S$ u. ~ k
" R2 L1 g, [. U0 N% f"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; 9 e! K# Q8 a( w" O8 D" z) V$ [
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it is something you do for yourself. 4 s$ F# Y) r. [; \. q$ W: N
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Give yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
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