Parable of the Twins Once upon a time, twin boys were conceived in their mother's womb. Weeks passed and the twins developed. As their awareness grew, they laughed for joy: "Isn't it great that we were conceived? Isn't it great to be alive?" Together the twins explored their world. When they discovered the umblical cord and realized that it passed life to them from their mother, they sang for joy. "How great is our mother's love, that she shares her own life with us." As weeks stretched into months, the twins began to notice that they were changing rapidly. "What does it mean?" asked one twin. "It means that our stay in this world is drawing to an end," said the other. "But I don't want to go. I want to stay here always." "We don't have a choice, and who knows--maybe there is life after birth!" "But how can that be? We will shed our life-cord, and how is life possible without it? Besides, no one has ever returned to the womb to tell us there is life after birth. No, this is the end." And so the one twin fell into despair. "If conception ends at birth, what is the purpose of life in the womb? It is meaningless. Maybe there is no mother at all!" "But there has to be," protested the other. "How else did we get here? How do we remain alive?" "Has either of us actually seen our mother? Maybe she lives in our minds. Maybe we made her up because we felt better believing in her." And so the last days in the womb arrived with deep questioning and fear. Finally, the moment of their birth arrived. And when the twins passed from their world, they opened their eyes. And the cried, because it was so beautiful.