Holes in the Fence

There are many versions of this but it has an important message!

There once was a little girl who had a bad temper.  Her mother gave her a bag of nails and told her that every time she lost her temper, she must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.

The first day the girl had driven 37 nails into the fence.  Over the next few weeks, as she learned to control her anger, the number of nails she hammered daily dwindled down to 20. She discovered it was easier to hold her temper than to drive those nails into the fence. 

Finally the day came when the girl didn't lose her temper at all.

She told her mother about it and the mother suggested that the girl now pull out one nail for each day that she was able to hold her temper. The days passed and the girl was able to tell her mother that all her nails were gone. The mother took her daughter by the hand and led her to the fence.

She said, "You have done well, my daughter, but look at the holes in the fence.  The fence will never be the same.  When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a person and draw it out.  It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Friends and family are rare jewels, indeed.  They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.  They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Friends and family, please forgive me if I have ever left a hole in your fence. Give yourself and others the best gift for Christmas and for the rest of your life.  Give yourself and others the gift of forgiveness! And thank God for forgiving all of us every moment! 

Check out my new website with pictures of my art, my book, e Book and Audio Book, "The Dying Teach Us How to Live"