Heaven and Hell

This was a story I heard from my neighbour Mrs. Vasudevan when I was about 14 years old. I loved listening to her stories. I am recollecting this from memory, so please bear with me if it doesn't sound right.

There was a farmer, who was poor but was very kind, content and cheerful. He was quite old but his eyes still shone of love. He knew how to spread joy around, cause anyone who spoke to him always came away feeling better about themselves and their situation. He knew how to enjoy the everyday things, like the smell of flowers in his garden, the dew shining in the early morning sun on a spiders web, the taste of a ripe juicy mango. He was always working but was never too busy to refuse helping anyone who needed help.

An angel who watched him, decided to reward his goodness. So the angel visits the farmer and grants him ONE wish. One would think he would wish for riches. But the farmer replies "I am happy with the food I have when I am hungry and the Love that surrounds me everyday, but before I die, I would like to see heaven and hell" .

So the angel says "Alright, you hold on to my cloak". The next instant the farmer was at the gateway to hell. He walks in and sees beautiful avenues, green trees and gardens, lovely ponds, awesome weather and a table in a garden laden with the most delicious smelling food he had ever seen. As he neared the table he saw that there were haggard looking people seated at the table. They were starving, sickly looking and angry. "How could they be starved with so much food around ?" he thought. On looking closer, he saw that their hands were locked straight at the elbow so they couldn't bend it to feed themselves. "Oh my! That is truly hell, to have food but not be able to eat it" thought the farmer.

The farmer returns to the angel and holds the cloak. The next instant the farmer was at the gateway of heaven. He walks in and sees the same sights he saw in hell, here too the people had their arms locked straight and wonders why it was heaven if it was the same. Looking closer he realizes that the people seemed well fed and happy. He heads in their direction and sees the people feeding each other! "Ah I see" smiles the farmer with an understanding nod of his head  "THIS, is truly heaven".

When I heard the story, at the time, it was only a story with a moral. I knew that it was a lesson is sharing, doing something for another. Now after "growing up" I realize its more than that- its about how situations don't change but our perspectives of it change. Our strength lies in looking for the Positive in any given situation. I have a feeling, that when I "Grow up" more, I will find something more from this story, that's probably the reason I haven't forgotten it.

This also reminds me of a zen saying thats my favorite

"Before enlightenment, fetch water, chop wood; After enlightenment, fetch water, chop wood."

Hope you enjoyed it.

Peace

Mithuna