As I was writing my Women’s New Moon Diwali ritual last week, an old teaching story came to mind.
A young student was sitting with her teacher. She asked the teacher to explain the difference between heaven and hell.
“In hell, her teacher explained, people are sitting around a long table filled with the most delicious food. Yet, they are starving.”
“Why?” asked the student. “They cannot bring the food to their lips because they cannot bend their arms,” answered the Teacher.
“What is heaven,” asked the curious student?
“In heaven, all the people are sitting around a fabulous table filled with the most delicious food, said the Teacher. They also can’t bring the food to their lips because they cannot bend their arms.”
“So, what is the difference between heaven and hell?” the baffled student asked.
Her wise teacher replied, “In heaven, all the people feed each other.”
Although this story has been changed in some cultures (in the Chinese versions, the people are eating with very long chopsticks, and in others the people are eating with very long spoons), the message remains the same. We all need to feed and care for each other.
Today, as a ritual act, do a random act of kindness for someone in need.
Many Blessings,
Barbara