When I was a child I can remember there was a set of stories, each with a moral sting in the tale. One of them was about peoples perceptions of heaven and hell, and the value of helping one another.

After a man died his guide took him and seated him at an enormous table. In the middle of this table was a huge pile of the most delicious food. From where he was sat he couldn't reach the food for himself. He found he could not move out of the chair. In front of him were a very long spoon and an equally long fork, more than long enough to reach the food. He picked up the spoon and the fork and used them to reach the food, but he found that they were too long for him to put food into his mouth with no matter how he tried. Each time he tried to turn the food towards his own mouth before he could eat it always fell off. Dispirited he started to give up, and he raised his eyes to look around. Down one end of the table he saw people who looked as if they were starving, some were cursing and insulting each other, some were just sitting crying. He then looked down the other end of the table and saw people were happily eating. He saw that although no-one could reach their own mouth they could and did reach their neighbours. By helping each other they could all eat.

He turned round to his guide and asked is this "heaven or hell" he was told "things are as you make them, you have the choice"

I cannot remember where this story came from but I remember hearing it as a child and in my turn told it to my children.