My friend Lynne Marie sent a couple of these to me.  I'm sharing.

A kindergarten teacher had 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 2 potatoes; some 3 while some up to 5 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 1 week.

Day after day passed by, and the children started to complain due to the unpleasant smell let out by the rotting potatoes.  Besides, those having 3 potatoes also had to carry heavier bags.  After 1 week, the children were relieved because the game finally ended.

The teacher asked:  "How did you feel while carrying the potatoes with you for 1 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 1 week, can you imagine what it is 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.

TRUE LOVE IS NOT LOVING A PERFECT PERSON BUT LOVING AN IMPERFECT PERSON PERFECTLY!!

My friend Lynne was on a roll - wasn't she? and no she didn't write them, doesn't know who the author is nor who originally sent them to her.

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.  But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about father," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor." So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl! 

 When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.  The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.  That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things: a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Chris tmas tree lights.

I've earned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life."

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.  I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you, but if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.  People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn!