The Burden Of Hatred

Once, a Junior School teacher asked her students to bring some potatoes in a plastic bag to school. Each potato represents a person whom that child hates. Therefore, the number of potatoes will be equal to the number of persons they hate. The children brought their potatoes, named appropriately. Some had two, some had three and some had five potatoes.

The teacher then said, “I want each one of you to carry your potatoes with you everywhere you go for the next one week.” As the days passed the potatoes began to smell and the children started to complain about the rotten smell of the potatoes. The more the potatoes, the worse the smell, not to mention the extra weight one had to endure. At the end of the week the teacher asked, "How did you feel this one week?" The Children complained of the smell and weight. And the Teacher said, "This is very similar to what you carry in your heart when you don't like some people.”

Hatred makes the heart unhealthy and you carry that hatred everywhere you go. If you can't bear the smell of spoiled potatoes for a week, imagine the impact on your heart that you carry throughout your life time. Your Heart is a beautiful garden that needs regular cleaning. Forgive People. Forgive those who have angered you and those who will anger you. Forgiveness is for your-self and it's an attribute only of the strong.”