While January is a great time for many of us to be looking ahead into the new year, honing our goals and the direction of our lives, I heard this story from a friend today. I hope it provides some inspiration and food for thought, or is at least entertaining.
A man woke one night to discover an angel floating at the end of his bed. Curious (it was his first time to find anyone floating, let alone an angel), he sat up awestruck.
“Come with me.” The angel beckoned him. “I’ve got something I want you to see.”
Hand in hand – he could float with the angel’s grasp – they descended to hell. The man was surprised to find a huge banquet hall filled with amazing delights of food and beverage. Gentle music created a sweet atmosphere. Upon a closer look the man realized that the many people seated at the tables had their arms bound with splints, so they could not bend their arms to feed themselves.
“This is hell.”
The angel whisked the man upward and quickly he was surprised to see a very similar scene. Again there was an idyllic banquet laid out for a crowd of people. And, again, their arms were bound with splints so they could not feed themselves. Yet they were all delighting in the offerings because they had learned to feed each other.
The story reminds me of one of my favorite song lyrics from Ani DiFranco. ‘The world owes me nothing. We owe each other the world.’
May we feed each other well in 2012.
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