When we come across a particularly beautiful and tranquil place we often mutter "It's Heaven here!" But is there a place where we can go to which is where Heaven and earth actually meet?
An interesting legend I recently read goes that a particularly learned monk who lived in a monastery built far away in the wilderness, found details of this place where earth and Heaven actually meet. In his heart he had this sudden urge to go and start living there till the Lord would decide it was his time to be called home.
So he wrote down the details of the route he needed to take, said his farewells to his fellow brother monks and left in search of this ideal place.
He walked down valleys and up mountains. He passed through forests full of wild animals and poisonous insects. He suffered hunger and pain as well as great heat or bone-biting cold. Yet his wish to reach this ideal place was so great that it drove him on and on. He continued to travel at a fast pace so he wouldn't dally. He wanted to get there as soon as possible.
One day he checked his papers again and realised that he should soon be reaching his goal. He saw a building in the distance which was also clearly marked on the chart he had. It stood out starkly against the great wilderness of the mountainside. All alone. Somehow he seemed to be familiar with it but not wanting to waste time in useless thinking he pressed on. Now, after all these months of painstaking travelling he was finally nearing his goal.
As soon as he got to the door he found it was closed. With a beating heart he knocked and the door opened. There in front of him was his fellow brother monk who was responsible for the entrance to the monastery. He received a great welcome and soon they were joined by all the other monks of the monastery who further fussed in greeting him . He had been away for quite a few months but now he was back with them. They even rang the monastery bells in joy of his safe return. But the monk realised that he had come back from where he has left. Because he had already found Heaven and was living there...yet he hadn't realised it.
We will never find such an ideal place in this world because there's nothing like Heaven. Really!
