Once there was a people who surveyed the resources of the world and
said to each other: “How can we be sure that we will have enough in
hard times? We want to survive whatever happens. Let us start
collecting food, materials and knowledge so that we are safe and
secure if a crisis occurs.” So they started hoarding. So much and so
eagerly that the other peoples protested and said: “You have so much
more than you need, while we don’t have enough to survive. Give us
part of your wealth!” But the fearful hoarders said: “No, no we need
to keep this in case of emergency, in case things go bad for us too,
in case our lives are threatened.” But the others said: “We are dying
now, please give us food and materials and knowledge to survive. We
can’t wait… we are dying now!”
Then the fearful hoarders became even more fearful since they became
afraid that the poor and hungry people would attack them. So they said
to one another: “Let us build walls around our wealth so that no
stranger can take it from us.” They started erecting walls so high
that they could not even see anymore whether their enemies were
outside the walls or not! As their fear increased they put bombs at
the top of their walls so that nobody from outside would even dare to
come close. But instead of feeling safe and secure behind their armed
walls they found themselves trapped in the prison they had built with
their own fear. They even became afraid of their own bombs, wondering
if they might harm themselves more than their enemy. And gradually
they realize that their fear of death had brought them closer to it.
Henry Nouwen