A teacher once told her students to bring a bag and some potatoes to school. When they didn't want to forgive (原谅) a person, they chose a potato and wrote the person's name on it. Then they put it in the bag. Some of their bags became heavier and heavier.
They were told to carry their bags with them everywhere for one week. They would put them beside their beds at night, on the seats when sitting on buses, and next to their desks at school. Carrying the bags everywhere made the students very tired. They felt heavy stones in their hearts. And they had to pay attention to them all the time, so they didn't forget them. The potatoes went bad and smelt terrible soon.
Forgiveness is a gift to other people. However, it is also a gift to us at the same time. If we keep our sadness and hatred (仇恨) in our hearts, we will have to carry them around all our lives. So we should learn to forgive.
