In the Garden

In the Garden

Just a little tale about a couple that used to live elsewhere and are slowly adjusting to their new lives.

>>> >>> >>>

She looks up from her labors and sees him walking toward her. He can be very quiet when he chooses to be and is a good hunter.

"I got a turkey! I think we'll like it."

She smiles and nods. He is a dedicated husband and provider and once again she is momentarily saddened by the loss she has brought into their lives.

"You look sad. We're okay. There is plenty of food to hunt, your garden is doing well, and soon there will be a little one running about and getting into everything."

She laughs momentarily. "It will be two years before we need to worry about the little one running about."

"Yes, but they'll be crawling sooner, and I bet this one will be full of adventure!"

He was smiling. Perhaps he really did forgive her. He always said it was as much his fault as hers, but she had always placed the burden of the blame on her own shoulders.

"What's that you're weeding?"

"Tomatoes. And there are onions and basil. Over there are eggplant, beans, and cucumbers. I've tried to grow a variety of things to see what grows best here. I've planted some fruit trees along the side of our shelter, but it will be a few years before they produce anything." Thinking back to the fruit of her last garden, she was again saddened.

He sensed her sadness. It was not all her fault. He shared in the blame. "It all looks wonderful. You really are a terrific gardener. In fact, I think this garden is as lovely as the last. Maybe tonight after dinner we can sit in your garden and watch the sky."

They both glanced up. They knew it was just sky and sun, and tonight the stars would be out, but somehow whenever they thought back to their last home their eyes were drawn upward.

"I met a new couple today. They just arrived. I think I like them."

"They'll need our help. I'll take him out to hunt and maybe you could help her start her garden?"

"Yes. It seems every few weeks another couple arrives. Our little community is growing."

"It's a shame, but I suppose there is safety in numbers. I've seen some wild beasts on my hunts, and I don't know if my simple tools are enough to defend against them. There may come a time when we need our neighbors."

She was less optimistic. "There may come a time when we fear our neighbors. Some of the couples who arrived not long after us are growing angry and frustrated."

"I've noticed. When I talk with them, they don't seem angry at us, but they are angry at the world."

She nodded. "I remember back to when we first arrived. It was a struggle and there was no one here to help us. There was food to be found, but we needed shelter. It took us time to build our home and more time to learn that we could grow what we needed."

"We have shown them and helped them as they arrived, and they have learned. Their lives are no worse than our own."

"Yes, but some people want more."

He knew she was right. He didn't want to worry her, but in his travels, he'd seen campfire lights in the next valley. He was thinking that he might fortify their shelter. He had learned a lot since they first arrived and knew he could build it better. Still, how do you defend yourself against your own neighbors? Shouldn't they be working together to help each other?

"I'll clean this bird and start a fire for dinner."

She smiled at him. He was a good husband and he labored to provide for her. She knew that he would be a wonderful father when the baby came. She put her hand on her stomach as the thought of the baby stirred new fears in her heart. What would it be like to bring new life into the world? Was she ready? Was she strong enough? Instinctively, she knew there would be pain. Would he be able to watch her struggle in the hours of childbirth? Would their neighbors help her?

She returned to her labors in the garden and soon there was meat on the fire. "I brought you some leaves from the plants I'm growing. They taste good. If you place them inside the bird, it may improve the flavor."

He was happy to experiment and still trusted her completely. He knew that their mistake had been made together, and he held no pretense that she alone had led them astray.

They ate their meal and afterward they sat in her garden looking at the stars.

"I killed another snake today. I'm getting good at it, but there are always more."

The memories of their last home flooded her mind and once again, the sadness clouded her heart. "Adam, I am sorry for what I did."

"Eve, it's not your fault. We were arrogant and we made our choice. As long as we are together, I can be happy and the child growing inside you will bring us even greater joy."

>>> >>> >>>

There you have it. This is just a little tale of optimism and regret. In case you're wondering, I let my imagination run. The new couples continue to arrive a God tries again to create humans that can resist the temptation of the serpent. Two by two, they leave the garden and arrive there where the first couple lives. You may also remember that their first born killed his younger brother.