Is this all there is?

This is a story about twins talking to each other in the womb. The sister said to the brother, “I believe there is life after birth.” Her brother protested vehemently, “No, no, this is all there is. This is a cosy dark place and we have nothing else to do but to cling to the cord that feeds us.” The little girl insisted, “There must be something else, a place with light and freedom to move about.” Still she could not convince her twin brother.

After some silence, the sister said hesitantly, “I have something else to say, and I’m afraid you won’t believe that, either, but I think there is a mother.” Her brother became furious. “A mother!” he shouted. “What are you talking about? I have never seen a mother, and neither have you. Who put that idea into your head? As I told you, this place is all we have. Why do you always want more? This is not such a bad place, after all. We have all we need, so let’s be content.”

The sister was quite overwhelmed by her brother’s response and for a while, didn’t dare say anything more. But she couldn’t let go of her thoughts, and since she had only her twin brother to speak to, she finally said, “Don’t you feel these squeeze every once in a while? They’re quite unpleasant and sometimes even painful.” “Yes” he answered. “What’s special about that?” “Well,” the sister said, “I think those squeezes are there to get us ready for another place, much more beautiful than this, where we will see our mother face-to-face. Don’t you think that’s very exciting?”

Attributed by Michelle O’Rourke to Fr. Henri Nouwen, (no relation to our patron, as far as we know)