By Dr. Zeal Okogeri
There is an old wisdom story about a man who died and was taken to see what awaited humanity beyond this life.
He was first led into a large banquet hall. The room was filled with tables overflowing with delicious food, fruits, breads, and fragrant dishes. There was more than enough for everyone. Yet the people in the room were thin, frustrated, and miserable. Their faces were tense. Their eyes carried exhaustion.
Each person held a spoon, but the spoons were very long. So long that when they tried to feed themselves, the food could not reach their own mouths. They strained. They tried harder. Some grew angry. Others gave up.
Food was everywhere, yet no one was nourished.
The man asked, “Why are they suffering when there is so much before them?”
His guide replied quietly, “This is Hell.”
Then he was taken into another banquet hall.
To his surprise, it looked exactly the same. The same tables. The same abundance. The same long spoons.
But here, the people were joyful. They were well fed. They were smiling and laughing. Their faces radiated contentment.
What was different?
Instead of trying to feed themselves, they used their long spoons to feed one another. The only difference between Heaven and Hell was how the people treated each other.
The World We Are Creating
This story is not really about the afterlife. It is about how we live now.
On Earth, we are surrounded by abundance. There is knowledge, opportunity, food, connection, and potential for love. Yet suffering persists. Loneliness persists. Division persists.
When we live only for ourselves, even abundance can feel like scarcity.
When we live with care for one another, even limitations can feel meaningful.
Kindness changes the atmosphere. Compassion changes the experience. Service changes the outcome.
The Long Spoon in Our Daily Lives
The long spoon represents something profound about the human condition. We are not meant to thrive in isolation. We are not designed to flourish in constant competition.
When life becomes only about self advancement, self protection, and self preservation, something inside us begins to starve.
But when we extend ourselves toward others, something shifts.
When we listen to someone who feels unseen. When we offer encouragement instead of criticism. When we respond with patience instead of anger. When we give, even in small ways.
We discover a truth that cannot be learned intellectually. In feeding others, we are fed.
Heaven and Hell Are Created in Relationship
Heaven is not simply a distant realm. Hell is not simply a punishment.
They are states we create in relationship with one another.
Where there is selfishness, resentment, indifference, and cruelty, suffering grows. Where there is generosity, compassion, dignity, and kindness, joy grows.
The external conditions may look identical. The inner reality is shaped by the heart.
A Reflection
If someone were to walk into the “room” of your life today, what would they experience? Would they find people striving only to serve themselves?
Or would they find people lifting, nourishing, and strengthening one another?
Every conversation is an opportunity. Every interaction is a choice.
We hold the spoon in our hands every day.
In the end, the difference between heaven and hell was in the way people treated each other. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others.
That is how Heaven begins.
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About Dr. Zeal Okogeri
Dr. Zeal Okogeri is a spiritual guide and mentor who helps individuals grow through emotional healing, spiritual transition, and personal transformation. His work centers on clarity, compassion, and practical spiritual growth.
He is the author of You Can Never Go Wrong By Being Kind and is a gifted storyteller who makes spiritual lessons simple, relatable, and meaningful.
In addition to one on one mentoring, he offers guided meditation audios, transformational courses, and retreats designed to support deeper healing and inner grounding.
If you are seeking guidance, clarity, or personal growth, you are invited to explore the resources available at DrZeal.org or begin with a private consultation.
You do not need to have everything figured out. You simply need openness.