The Fence

A Lesson in Fences

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.   He said,
"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.

Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed.  They make you smile and encourage
you to succeed.  They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they
always want to open their hearts to us.  Show your friends how much you care.

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