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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.