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.