The Burden of Hatred

[Guest guest]

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 bag containing a few

potatoes. Each potato will be given a name of a person that the child hates,

so the number of potatoes that a child will put in his/her plastic bag will

depend on the number of people he/she hates.

 

So when the day came, every child brought some potatoes with the name of the

people he/she hated. Some had two potatoes; some three while some up to five

potatoes.

 

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

plastic bag wherever they go (even to the toilet) for one week. Days after

days passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant

smell let out by the rotten potatoes. Besides, those having five potatoes

also had to carry heavier bags. After one week, the children were relieved

because the game had finally ended. The teacher asked: "How did you feel

while carrying the potatoes with you for one week?" The children let out

their frustrations and started complaining of the trouble that they had to

go through having to carry the heavy and smelly potatoes wherever they go.

 

Then the teacher told them the hidden meaning behind the game. The teacher

said: "This is exactly the situation when you carry your hatred for somebody

inside your heart. The stench of hatred will contaminate your heart and you

will carry it with you wherever you go. If you cannot tolerate the smell of

rotten potatoes for just one week, can you imagine what is it like to have

the stench of hatred in your heart for your lifetime!"

 

Moral of the story: Throw away any hatred for anyone from your heart so that

you will not carry sins for a lifetime. Forgiving others is the best

attitude to take! Love others even if you don't like them...

 

"The duty of a brahmaNa is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which is

illuminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is

pleased with those who are forgiving." (Srimad Bhagavatam: 9.15.40)

 

 

Love is not measured by how you feel,

but how you make the other person feel.

 

 

[Guest guest]

Its very much true that the burden of hatred need not and should not be carried by anyone as it is an obstacle to the path of spiritual renunciation

 

[Guest guest]

thank you. I have found that forgiveness is a process for me. I used to think I needed to experience it like a bolt of lightning. But it's more like something I am growing into. Concerning my parents, its taking a lifetime. Little by little.

 

Just my experience.