Bag of Nails
There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave
him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his
temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.
Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier
to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at
all. He told his father about it and the 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 father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the
fence. "You have done well, my son, 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 man 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.
Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.
E-mail from Tim Cove cove@panacom.com