This parable, with its diverse origins
may provide spiritual pondering,
curiosity,
hope . . .
In a mother's womb were two babies. The first baby asked the other "do you believe in life after this world?"
The second replied, "Why, of course. There has to be something after this world. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later."
"Nonsense," he said. "There is no life after this world. What kind of life would that be? The umbilical cord supplies nutrition. Life after this would be impossible. The umbilical cord is too short. There can't be a world after this one."
The second one held her ground. "I think there is something and maybe it's different than it is here. I don't know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths. Maybe we will have other senses that we can't understand now."
The first replied, "That is absurd. Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need. But the umbilical cord is so short."
The second insisted, "Well I think there is something and maybe it's different than it is here. Maybe we won't need this physical cord anymore."
The first baby replied, "Nonsense. And moreover, if there is life, then why has no one ever come back? This world is the end of life, and after this, there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion."
"Well, I don't know," said the second, "but certainly we will meet Mother and she will take care of us. Maybe we'll see each other."
"The first replied "Mother? You actually believe in Mother? That's laughable. If Mother exists, then where is She now?"
The second baby said, "She is all around us. We are surrounded by her. We are of Her. It is in Her that we live. Without Her, this world would not and could not exist."
Said the first: "Well I don't see Her, so it is only logical that She doesn't exist."
To which the second baby replied, "Sometimes, when you're in silence and you focus and listen, you can perceive. I believe there is a reality after this world."
