A teacher once told each of her students to bring a clear plastic bag
and a sack of potatoes to school. For every person they refuse to
forgive in their life's experience, they chose a potato, wrote on it the
name
and date, and put it in the plastic bag. Some of their bags were quite
heavy.
They were then told to carry this bag with them everywhere for one week,
putting it beside their bed at night, on the car seat when driving, next
to their desk at work.
The hassle of lugging this around with them made it
clear what a weight they were carrying spiritually, and how they had to pay
attention to it all the time to not forget and keep leaving it in
embarrassing places. Naturally, the condition of the potatoes
deteriorated to a nasty smelly slime. This was a great metaphor for the
price we pay for
keeping our pain and heavy negativity! Too often we think of forgiveness
as a gift to the other person, and it clearly is for ourselves!
