There’s a famous story told about a man who wanted to know what the difference between Heaven and Hell was. He was fortunate to have asked his question to a true mystic who had inside-access to the upper worlds. The mystic told him that he would take him on a tour of both places so that he could see for himself what actually happened in each of the worlds.
In a mystic vision, the man was lead first to the world of H
Next, the man was taken to the world of H
The man could not understand what was going on and so he asked the mystic the meaning of his visions. The mystic explained that heaven and hell are all the same. There is no difference. However, the mystic continued, if you would only pay attention to the size of the spoons, you would notice that the spoons are too big for the individual to eat with. When the people in the world of hell put the spoons into the dish to obtain their food and then try to put the food into their mouths, they are unable to because the spoon is too big to turn around and place into their mouths.
In heaven, they have found a work-around for the clumsy situation of the big spoons! In heaven, everyone realises that they are unable to feed themselves because the spoons are too big. So they each take a portion of food and use the large spoon to place the food in the mouth of someone sitting away on the other side from them! In hell, however, those seated there can only think of themselves. They can find no way to get the spoons into their mouths because they believe that everything is about themselves. They have yet to awaken to the fact that if they would but just think of the other person, they would be able to give their spoon (with food) to the other, and in turn, the other would give to them!
Indeed, life is far bigger than “me” in life. There is the “other” too. The irony of life is just how much it is that the givers are aware that their giving is a process that brings with it in return the “getting”.
When we awaken to life in this world, we see a world already made for us. Here one can find trees, buildings, animals and life all set up for us even before we begin! But all these things come about only because someone else already paved the way – planting the tree, building the building etc. Suddenly – everything is there already for us even before we need it! Those who have built and those who have planted may well have never received the reward for all their hard work. In fact, it may be that they never enjoyed the very things they planted or built at all! Yet, they did their work so that others would have when they needed it.
When those things are available for the next generation to be able to do even better – because they have the means – then they too can do for the next generation. If, of course, the previous generation have not paved the way for the following generation – planting the trees (which will take time to grow) and preparing buildings, the next generation will be stuck – having to start from scratch – for the next generation – while they themselves will have to do without.
It’s a strange world. It’s a world whereby so often, the giver never really gets to taste the food on his spoon. But it’s when the giver gives to the other, that ultimately the other will always give back to them! While it often seems like the receiver has no share in his giving, life changes quickly, and quite often, the giver of today, becomes the receiver of tomorrow, and it is the receiver of yesterday who has become a giver today.
Life is a system where logic does not prevail. We can never understand why a receiver is as he is today. Yet when we watch life and time over many years, we so often see the connections. Suddenly the wealthy man who once gave to the poor man finds his life and family in distress… Mysteriously, the poor man’s life has changed for the good, and he is able to provide for the other.
It is for us to internalise and realise that life is much bigger than “ourselves” only. In fact, when we think only of ourselves – no matter why we believe the other is not deserving, we actually live in the world of hell – and so it will be for always and all eternity.
Heaven and Hell are just the same. The only thing that differentiates the happiness and satisfaction experienced there is the concept of giving. Those who give will always come out with a smile. Those who have but who refuse to give will always have food too – but they will forever be unable to eat it!
Here is the story of the large spoons in video format. This is life…
