This is not my story. I read it long ago and it continues to inspire me. Over time I have shared it with a lot of people. They had not heard it before either. As time passed it has gradually incorporated my self expression in it. It deserves narrating again and again till all of us have heard it and are inspired by it. I will be happy to credit the story to the original author if I come to know who wrote it.

The story is about a man who died and left for his heavenly abode. There he met the Creator and the account holder for Karma. The man stood there with folded hands to learn about his destiny based on his Karma.

When his account was checked he had equal amounts of good and bad karma attributed to him. The Creator wondered where to send him – to heaven or to hell. The Creator decided to give the man the choice to choose whether he wanted to go to heaven or to hell.

The man pondered for some time. Then he said that he would like to first see what these places were like before making his choice. The creator agreed and asked him where he wanted to go first. The man thought for a while and then said that he wanted to see hell first. So, he was sent to see hell.

As he reached the doors of hell the guards opened the door for him. Contrary to his expectation as the doors moved apart he saw the vision of a beautiful place so magical and mesmerising that he could not believe his eyes. It was the most delightful place. The sun shone bright. The grass was greener than green. The most beautiful birds flew around in the sky chirping so very melodiously the likes of which he had never heard. The flowers bloomed in mesmerising colours with amazing aroma. The trees were laden with the most delicious and succulent fruit some of which he did not even know existed.

As he moved in further he saw amazing looking men and women. He saw tables laden with the most delicious food that could ever be made.

He was delighted to see all this. OMG ! Hell was so divine.

Then he looked at the faces of the residents of hell. They looked so deep in distress. They looked miserable.

He wondered why was that. Then he noticed.

Their elbows were frozen and they could not bend them. So they could not eat the delicious food that lay in front of them, and they were starving and miserable.

The man was shocked. His heart skipped a beat.

As he moved towards heaven he wondered what he would get to see.

As he reached the doors of heaven the guards opened the door for him. As the doors moved apart he saw the vision of a beautiful place as magical and mesmerizing as hell was. It was the most delightful place. The sun shone bright. The grass was greener than green. The most beautiful birds flew around in the sky chirping so very melodiously the likes of which he had never heard in his life time. The flowers bloomed in mesmerizing colours with amazing aroma. The trees were laden with the most delicious and succulent fruit some of which he did not even know existed.

As he moved in further his heart fluttered. He saw the most amazing looking men and women and he saw tables laden with the most delicious food that could ever be made.

With trepidation he looked at the faces of the residents of heaven. They were radiant. They were happy. And then his eyes fell on their elbows as if he wanted to confirm that they were alright. To his surprise, their elbows were frozen too. They could not bend their elbows.

Then how come they were so happy and fulfilled ? The man’s head went into a spin.

And then his eyes fell on some people who came and sat down to eat food. He wondered what would happen now. And then he saw the miracle. They picked up the food and fed each other.