THE FENCE

There was once a little boy who had a bad temper.His Father gave him a bag of nailsand told him that every time he lost his temper,he must hammer one nail into the back of the fence.The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.Over the next few weeks ,as he learned to control his anger,the nunmber of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down.He discovered that it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy did not lose his temper at all.He told his father about it and his father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his fatherthat all the nails were gone.

The father now took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.He said "You have done well but look at the holes in the fence.The fence will never be the same again.When you say things in anger they leave a scar just like this one.You can put a knife in a man and draw it out.It won't matter how many times you say "I am sorry"the wound will remain there.A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

On hearing this,the boy confessed to his father that he has learned the lesson of his life.


Compiled by BAIYU ---------------September 1999