34. A holiday in heaven
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A man dies in a car accident.
When he wakes up, he finds himself in a beautiful place. Many celestial beings are standing around him and asking him, 'What do you want? You only have to ask!' The man orders food and drink, all kinds of things. Everything is immediately delivered, and he enjoys himself immensely. The next day he asks for expensive clothes, a palace, beautiful women. The instant he asks, everything is given. The third day, he is busy searching for things to ask! Somehow he asks for this and that, and everything is instantly delivered. Whatever he asks for is given.
How many days can you live like this? You will die out of sheer boredom, because whatever you can think of is there. After a week, he tells one of the celestial beings, 'I am getting a bit bored of being in heaven! Just for a change, can I go to hell and see how it feels?'
The being asks him, 'Where do you think you are right now?'
Listen: if all your dreams are constantly fulfilled, if you don't have to struggle to achieve any of your desires, suddenly you will feel empty. This is the truth. You find that whatever you wanted has been achieved, but that sense of fulfillment FOR WHICH you did everything is still not there. Be very clear, if all your desires are fulfilled, you are in hell, because there is nothing left to hope for! When you realize that even if all your desires are fulfilled, it cannot bring lasting inner fulfillment, you take the first step on the spiritual path.
