mumofthree's Journal

A holy man was having a conversation
with the Lord one day and said.

'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.


The Lord led the holy man to two
doors.


He opened one of the doors and the
holy man looked in. In the middle of
the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which
smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water. The people sitting around the
table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished.. They were holding spoons with
very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into
the pot of stew and take a spoonful.

But because the handle was longer
than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell.


They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one.
There was the
large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth
water. The people were equipped with
the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing
and talking. The holy man said, 'I don't understand.'

'It is simple,' said the Lord.

'It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the
greedy think only of themselves.'