Hola mis queridos amigos, hoy compartiremos otro cuento corto cuyo título es: "Júzgate a ti mismo". Espero que os guste.
From: Speak up magazine.
Photos: alamy.es / eoi.es
JUDGE FOR YOURSELF by Talitha Linehan
Francis T. Barrow was dying, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He was normally so sure of everything. He had to be in his role as Supreme Court judge. But he'd never given much thought or consideration to death. Once you died you were gone and that was the end of it.
He didn't want to die of course, but he accepted that it was inevitable. It was what happened after death that perplexed him. Was there life after death, and if there was, what was the nature of it?
People who believed in an afterlife generally believed in God., but Francis had never really thought about God either, notwithstanding the fact he'd asked innumerable people to swear to tell the truth so help you God.
If the believers in Christianity were right, then he would go to the gates of Heaven, where Saint Peter would judge him -judge the judge- and send him to Heaven or Hell. Of course, Francis knew this theory was unfounded in science; it certainly wouldn't stand up in his courtroom!
A few hours later, Francis went from dying to dead. Tunnel. Bright Light. And there he was, at the gates of Heaven, with St. Peter before him.
-"It's exactly as I imagined," said Francis.
-"It always is", said St. Peter.
-"So now you judge me? Decide if I go to Heaven or Hell?"
-"No, I don't judge you. You judge you"
-"Ha! So, those New Age spiritualists were right. We decide our own fate."
-"Quite so," said St. Peter. "All souls are born with the capacity to distinguish right from wrong, a conscience, if you will. You just have to tell us if you lived in accordance with your conscience or not".
That's easy, thought Francis, listing off the Ten Commandments in his head. He didn't have any "other gods" because he didn't have any god. He didn't idolize anyone, except himself perhaps, but that was undestandable. He didn't abuse God's name, because he thought it made people sound stupid. He honored his parents, he would never have dishonored them and risked losing his inheritance. He never murdered anyone, though he fantasized about murdering his wife many times. He never committed adultery; he wouldn't have risked losing his reputation. This was the same reason he didn't steal or lie. And he never had any reason to feel envious of anyone; he was everything he wanted to be.
-"I kept all Ten Commandments," he told St. Peter, with confidence.
"The what? Oh, those. No, only one rule defines your conscience. You might know it as the Golden Rule". He gave a scroll and a pen to Francis. "Now, please read and sign our Next Life Contract."
The contract said:
I swear to tell the truth, so help me God.
Did you live in accordance with the rule "TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED"?
If you circle YES, you will live your next life in a world under your rule; as you have lived, shall it be ruled.
If you cirle NO, you will remain in the spirit world until you are ready to return to Earth in a life of your choosing.
Signed__________________.
This is not what Francis expected. He had heard of the Golden Rule, but much like God and death, never really thought about it. His job as a Supreme Court judge wasn't to treat people as they wanted to be treated but as they needed to be treated. Certainly, a lof of the people he condemned were born into poverty or dysfunctional families, but that wasn't an excuse to commit crime. The courtroom was no place for compassion.
At least that's what he told himself as he circled YES, signed his name and returned the scroll to St. Peter. Immediately, another tunnel appeared before him.
-"Right" said St. Peter. "Well, you were a rich man in the last life, so let's make you a poor man in this one."
-"Wait, no, how will I become the ruler of my world if I'm poor? And a woman?" he said with contempt.
-"Oh dear...No, no, you won't be the ruler. You will live in a world ruled by your rule, where everyone treats each other as you treated others in your last life."
Francis T. Barrow screamed but there was nothing he could do. He was already flying through the tunnel and into the light (or darkness) of his new world.
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VOCABULARY
-NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT: pese a que.
-QUITE SO: casi.
-LISTING OFF: repasando.
-INHERITANCE: herencia.
-A SCROLL: un pergamino.
-THE RULER OF MY WORLD: el dueño de mi mundo.
-WITH CONTEMPT: con condescendencia.
SEE YOU!!
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