The story of the extra large chopsticks

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​Todays story is a very old and well known story involving some extra large chopsticks. It illustrates perfectly how if you can change the way you approach or think about a situation you can often overcome it.
 
Once there was a young man who felt that all the virtuous lessons about how he should be seen to conduct himself felt like no fun whatsoever. He decided to book himself a tour of what heaven and hell might be like for him.

​Todays story is a very old and well known story involving some extra large chopsticks. It illustrates perfectly how if you can change the way you approach or think about a situation you can often overcome it.
 
Once there was a young man who felt that all the virtuous lessons about how he should be seen to conduct himself felt like no fun whatsoever. He decided to book himself a tour of what heaven and hell might be like for him.
 
When the guardian tour guide took him down to hell his eyes were immediately drawn to the masses of delicious food all laid out ready to eat along a grand central table. It was abundant and luscious looking. ‘Surely this can’t be hell?’ he thought to himself, ‘And if it is then I am not going to bother leading a ‘virtuous’ life if I can get all of this at the end anyway.’ However as he looked on and more closely he noticed that the table was surrounded by chairs which were occupied by miserable emancipated looking beings. He turned to his guide who upon seeing his confusion gestured towards the extra large chopsticks, these chopsticks were the biggest he’d ever seen and even if those emancipated beings could manage to lift any food from the table they would drop it before it managing to get it to their mouths. How torturous to be so close to all that delicious food and not be able to eat it. The young man turned to his guide and said ‘if this is hell then you better show me heaven’.
 
The guardian tour guide then took him up to heaven. Upon arrival he was hit by a very similar scene, a beautifully abundant table laid out with delicious food. He looked at the people, who were sitting at this table, they too had giant chopsticks but they were all well fed and happy. He watched as they picked up the extra large chopsticks, picked up the food and used them to feed the person sitting opposite them.
 
In this example the situation is the same, the only difference is the way the participants looked at the problem. So heaven and hell can be found in the same place sometimes? If we are able to turn our misfortunes around and use them to benefit us or others.
 
I also like to think this demonstrates quite nicely how participating in voluntary work, charity work, or simply by looking out for your nighbours not only benefits the recipient or person in need but you also get a lovely warm glow inside too. My Grampy always used to say, never deny people the gift of giving.