THE SCARS REMAIN

During my early childhood I had a fiery temper which often caused me to say or do unkind things.

One day, after an argument had sent one of my playmates home in tears, my father told me that for each thoughtless, mean thing I did he would drive a nail into our gatepost. Each time I did a kindness or a good deed, one nail would be withdrawn.

Months passed. Each time I entered our gate, I was reminded of the reasons for those ever-increasing nails, until finally, getting them out became a challenge.

At last the wished-for day arrived—only one more nail! As my father withdrew it I danced around proudly exclaiming, “See, Daddy, the nails are all gone.”

Father gazed intently at the post as he thoughtfully replied, “Yes, the nails are gone—but the scars remain.”

—Hazel Farris

[Reproduced with permission from Encylopedia of 15,000 Illustrations, by Paul Lee Tan,
Communications, Inc., Dallas, TX, 1998, #10428]

This material is published by the Faith Committee of the Character Council of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Reproduction and Adaptation is encouraged.