What Are Others Here to Do?

(Reclaimed from Bubblews)

(Topic credit goes to Khan123 for http://www.bubblews.com/news/6307079-gleeful-perception , in which she asks the old question, "If we are here to help others, then what are the others here to do?" So this is an old traditional story that explains the answer...)

Once upon a time, a man dreamed that he was given a very brief tour of the afterlife.

First he was shown where some bad people go. He saw a lot of mean, cruel people sit down at a long table. Big pots of delicious soup were placed on the table. All the bad people reached for their soup spoons and began weeping and wailing and gnashing their teeth, because every spoon was at least twice as long as their arms.

Then he was shown where some good people go. He saw a lot of nice, peaceable people sit down at a long table. Big pots of delicious soup were placed on the table. All the good people reached for their soup spoons. Every spoon was at least twice as long as their arms. With happy smiles, they all dipped their spoons into the pots and reached across the table to feed each other.

[Photo by Vilhelm at Morguefile.com]