Fence And Nails
Tom was a 9-year old boy. He had a temper so bad that even boys much older than him were afraid of him.
Tom’s father was very concerned. He kept thinking of how to help Tom correct his behavior. One day, he gave Tom a bag of nails.
“What’s the nails for?” Tom asked in puzzlement.
“Son, let’s play a little game,” his father said. “From now on, every time you lose your temper, go hammer a nail in the back fence.”
“Oh, a game!” Tom was delighted that his dad wanted to play with him and took the bag of nails happily.
Image via WikipediaOn the first day, Tom drove 37 nails into the fence and he proudly told his father so. “Very good, son,” his father said. “Keep on nailing the fence.”
As the days went by, Tom found it hard work driving all the nails into the fence. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. The number of nails driven gradually dwindled down. Finally the day came when Tom didn’t lose his temper at all.
Tom told his father about it.
“Let’s change the game, shall we?” his father said. “Why don’t you pull out one nail for each day that you’re able to hold your temper?”
“Goody! A new game!” Tom got excited again.
Days turned into months. Tom was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
“Let’s go look at the fence, shall we?” The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.
“You have done well, my son,” Tom’s father said. “But look at all 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’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.
“Do you really want to pierce them with your reckless words?”