Life Observations # 166 Allegory of the long forks

There is many times that something triggers our imagination back to something and recently it was one of those times for me.  I saw something that triggered a memory of story telling and great music with friends.  It was a time where I spent many nights listening to music and stories with my friends that played in Atlanta at the time in a band called Cullowhee.

One of the stories told was the difference between Heaven and Hell, told by my friend, Terry Edwards.  With his customary southern drawl and laid back style he painted the picture to all of us in the audience listening.

Terry would tell the story about the man who died, and when he arrived at the "Pearly Gates" Saint Peter told him he was going to take him on a tour of heaven and of hell.  

First, they took a tour of heaven.

St. Peter and the man arrived just in time for dinner . . . it was in a huge banquet hall and the tables were sagging with the weight of the sumptuous entrees.  Everyone was laughing and talking and having a wonderful time.  They all looked well-fed and happy.  George noticed that everyone had the longest fork he had ever seen—about four feet long!

Then Peter took off for hell.  It was still dinner time when they arrived.  The cafeteria in hell looked just like the banquet hall in heaven.  The tables were loaded with food but there was no conversation taking place . . . everyone looked angry and resentful, and they also looked like they were starving, in spite of all of that food right in front of them.  And again the man noticed that, just like in heaven, everyone in hell was holding a four-foot-long fork.

The man said to St. Peter, "What's going on?  It looks like the food they serve in hell is just like the food they serve in heaven.  But the people in hell seem to be starving to death . . . they are miserable.  What's the difference between heaven and hell?

St. Peter looked out upon the angry masses and replied, "In hell, there's no spirit of giving or of service.  In hell everyone looks out only for themselves.  The people in the cafeteria in hell can only think about themselves.  But, their forks are four feet long . . . when they pick up their food with those forks they can't get it in their mouths.  So they are starving."

St. Peter smiled lovingly and said, "In heaven, everyone has the same four-foot-long forks, which are far too long to feed themselves . . . but in heaven they all want to serve each other.  When someone is hungry, all they have to do is ask the person on the other side of the table to use his or her fork to pick up some food and feed them.  Sometimes people don't even have to ask. In heaven they feed each other.  In hell everyone is so engrossed with looking out for number one that no one seems to think of serving someone else."

As we pick ourselves up from the trials of life we must sometimes remind ourselves that we should always be in service to others around us and that the selflessness of our actions may have positive impact on those we give of ourselves.

Can you hear the music?  It is in each of us and brings out the best parts of who we are and how we relate to each other.  I was brought back to a time of great fun, great friendships, and the common bonds of service we all shared each day.  Those were good times and great memories still flow through many of us who listened.

Positive attitudes . . . selfless service . . . and attention to the details of the lives around us will make us better as human beings and enrich our lives beyond our comprehension.

Listen to the music and go out and be of service.

Have an nIce day!