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THE STENCH OF HATRED " U6 Y/ k( I9 s2 N& @4 `9 ?
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A kindergarten teacher has decided to let her class play a game. , v w0 O+ m7 a' T1 {/ Z2 q
L' c; e: t3 ~6 ?The teacher told each child in the class to bring along a plastic " M |0 t0 W! R% f6 T
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bag containing a few potatoes. Each potato will be given a name m. Y2 K' v- X& a
1 t3 l2 @9 b- Q3 B0 h$ |0 S3 z- Qof 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 4 c- x" E; M! x, U$ R* g& }- G2 y
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of people he/she hates.
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So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with 2 O- l: w; w) F1 o7 e5 f
& |, r2 I; e* ^7 M& r6 Athe name of the people he/she hated. Some had 2 potatoes; some
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3 while some up to 5 potatoes. . y' e$ z& [, s9 G/ t: |7 Q
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The teacher then told the children to carry with them the potatoes
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- N. m3 [5 V; s- o( ~' hin 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 2 T9 t% A |+ X( z6 a P9 ?
0 Z: g2 o9 w* z- p0 vdue to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides,
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those having 5 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags. After 1 + }& ]' w* b. Z$ p8 g& n) x
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week, the children were relieved because the game had finally ended. ' M$ Q! D- s$ C8 U: i0 k: F
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The teacher asked: "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes 9 m5 p+ W. t* r
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with you for 1 week?" The children let out their frustrations and
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started complaining of the trouble that they had to go through
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A0 k1 Z! P0 a5 ?' Fhaving to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go. % ?! F3 x. _& g" u- P
7 l4 y- z0 B2 ]0 }Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. " D# O) j, S" H- t; f2 ~+ ^$ p
5 f% y. c- b- Q( B% R" C, W( W ^) aThe teacher said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry 3 N% S& X" D" L( g5 |' ?4 v- C
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your hatred for somebody inside your heart. The stench of hatred ! T" \ J7 t2 C7 \; X
7 ~* g; H" ]: f5 `2 l* Hwill contaminate your heart and you will carry it with you wherever , m5 D; x- h" L$ E" w: ]
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you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of rotten potatoes for just ; c9 r6 D; r: u/ P7 S
) z0 P* B8 D; C# X1 G1 week, can you imagine what is it like to have the stench of hatred
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in your heart for your lifetime???"
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7 f$ ^0 Y) I0 l3 O"Forgiveness is not something you do for someone else; / ^. O8 c3 [4 d& l; c( H+ G
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it is something you do for yourself. " d/ I& o4 G+ N* A. Q' N) F1 z
' Y5 A# ^+ D5 N3 e, d1 y* Z7 L0 RGive yourself the gift of forgiveness" |
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