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The Disgrace
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Creating Heaven or Hell?
Life has given me more than most people ever get. I want everybody to have the things I have. No, don't think it is because of my generosity or big heart. It is solely for selfish reasons... Because I cannot enjoy them, I mean I do of course but with a sadness underneath, knowing that there are children dying for not having 2 dollar vaccinations, not having clean water etc. etc. It is a shame on us all, it is a disgrace for all humanity that there is such suffering in the world. I do it too. I spend. For my personal desires. I succumb to my selfishness. I developed a consolation mechanism like “When everybody does all so much, what I do is so little to be unimportant.” Since I have the consolation machine ready at hand to pick a sentence which sounds so reasonable when I press the button, “I'm the only one to do it, therefore meaningless...”, “We came to this world, we'll be going too, it's enough I complete my life without harming anyone”, “The end of the world is coming somehow, so what if I contribute to it a bit too, what difference does it make?”, “Mine is a mere crumb next to others...” If you are reading this site, be in Turkey or any other place in the world, even though you may have financial troubles, you too, in spite of it all, are probably living in much better conditions than most of the world. It's easy to forget this and be occupied with our own troubles. We are pulled over there, to our center, constantly; naturally. Therefore, even if forcing a bit, we need to remind ourselves the state of the world. There is the story... Once upon a time there were two brothers. One was married with children, the other a bachelor. They shared a piece of land and farmed. The one married thought “My brother is alone, if anything happens to him there is nobody to look after him, so he should be having more.” And every night, when everybody went to sleep, he went out to carry a bag of wheat to his brother's barn. But there was something wrong. Every morning he woke up and the number of wheat bags in his barn were the same. One night, he was again out carrying the wheat bag when he stumbled upon a shadow in the dark. He looked to find out it was his brother. Who had a bag of wheat on his shoulders. The bachelor brother had thought “I am a single person, my brother has a family to look after, they need more.” So he too, was going out every night to carry a bag of wheat to his brother's barn. Then there is another story: A man wants to have a look at Hell and Heaven, and he is granted his wish. In Hell, there is a big fire. On top of the fire there is a big pan of soup boiling. People have gathered around it. They have spoons but they are long, when they bend their arms cannot put the spoon in their mouths. The man then goes to Heaven. Again there is a big fire. On top of the fire there is a big pan of soup boiling. People have gathered around it. They have spoons. Their spoons, too, are long. But everybody is content and full. They are feeding the one across them and everybody gets to eat. Moral of the stories: Heaven and Hell have the same sets of givens, circumstances are the same. The only difference is how people treat each other.
Cartoons are from Stuart McMillen
Afterword:
“I think I want to live in heaven, that's the problem,” she said. Thinking about all the things she did not believe in in this world... “The things I do not believe in, do not exist, where? Only in heaven.” “You think so? You would never be comfortable in heaven. You would like to go visit Hell and you wouldn't be let in, and you'd be upset.” “Why shouldn't they let me in?” “There are borders there too.” “Neah. Heaven is a place where you can do anything your heart desires.” “Not including a visit to Hell. There are borders, people on either side do not mix.” “You know it wrong.” “You go and see.” Okay, my husband is sending me to Heaven, not to Hell. Thank God! |
