Children's Stories for Adults

Anybody that knows me personally knows that between being a children's entertainer for 25 years, a teacher in various forms, and a corporate trainer, I love to use analogies and stories to make a point. When it comes to really great stories that really drive home my personal philophies, there are always two that immediately come to mind..... The Journey and another one called Heaven and Hell. Recently I've used the latter story in many customer service training sessions and it's been greatly appreciated. So for something a little different, I thought I'd include it here to share with my vast audience (both of you can wake up for the story now).

HEAVEN AND HELL

Legend has it that there was once a man that had lived a truly honourable and faithful life. So in his later years before he died, God appeared to him and offered to grant him any one desire. Without hesistation the man revealed that he had always wanted to know the difference between Heaven and Hell.

Immediately God whisked them to Hell, where the man was immediately overwhelmed with a bizarre and disturbing sight. Before him was an incredibly long banquet table, stretching as far as the eye could see. On the table was every possible delicious food and delicacy anyone could ever imagine, fresh and plentiful. But around the table were all the residents of Hell, screaming and wailing, for each one of them displayed one particular abnormality. Every single person had stretched out four foot arms with no elbows. As a result, they could all reach the food, but no one could bring it to their mouth, resulting in agonizing cries of starvation and pain. The man exclaimed "Lord! I cannot take this sight! Please take me away! PLEASE!"

Instantly the sight before the man changed as he found himself in Heaven. But now the man was even more amazed, because although it was obvious he was no longer in Hell, he still saw before him the same bizarre sight. The miles-long banquet table, the food, and again, all the people had four foot arms, still with no elbows. But in this place, everyone was cheering, laughing, celebrating and singing God's praises. Because in this place, every heavenly resident had learned the secret of the table.... Every person simply fed their neighbour across the table.

The moral of the story, which I have found true in countless situations... it's not the circumstances of your situation that determine your own private heaven or hell... it's your response to them.

LOVE that story!