The story is about a boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him nails and told him to hammer one into the fence every time he lost his temper. Over weeks, as the boy learned to control his anger, he hammered fewer nails each day. Eventually he was able to go a full day without losing his temper. His father then had him remove nails for each day he stayed calm. In the end, all the nails were gone. However, the fence was left scarred with holes, just as hurtful words leave scars. The father explained that saying sorry cannot undo the damage caused by what was said in anger.

1. Story To
Reflect
Upon 111
Nails in the Fence
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father
gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his
temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence. The first day the
boy had to drive 15 nails into the fence.
Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger the
number of nails hammered daily 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."
Reflections
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends are very
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. Always be mindful of
your speech lest you hurt another

2. Story To
Reflect
Upon 112
Refusing to Accept Failure
Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount
Everest. On May 29, 1953 he scaled the highest mountain
then known to man - 29, 000 feet straight up. He was
knighted for his efforts. He even made American Express
card commercials because of it! However, until we read his
book, High Adventure, we don't understand that Hillary had
to grow into this success. You see, in 1952 he attempted to
climb Mount Everest, but failed. A few weeks later a group
in England asked him to address its members. Hillary
walked on stage to a thunderous applause. The audience was
recognizing an attempt at greatness, but Edmund Hillary
saw himself as a failure. He moved
away from the microphone and walked to the edge of the
platform. He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the
mountain. He said in a loud voice, "Mount Everest, you beat
me the first time, but I'll beat you the next time because
you've grown all you are going to grow... but I'm still
growing!"
Reflections
* Failure is NOT failure but Failure is failing to get up after
one has fallen.
* A Quitter never wins, a Winner never quits.
* When one faces with problems or obstacles, one should
rise to the challenge and do one’s best to overcome the
problems.