"The Garden of Eden"
By Stephanie Champion
"Okay, class, today for our
English lesson, we are going to discuss the origin of the word
"paradise." "OOOOHHH," replied the class in
the one-room schoolhouse filled with children from kindergarten through
12th grade.
"Now, boys and girls, this is an interesting subject, and I' m sure you will enjoy it!" replied Miss Arthur . She finally got her class to settle down and so she began her lesson. "Now, can anyone tell me what the word 'paradise' means?"
A little girl in the front row raised her hand, anxious to answer the question. "Yes, Alanna." "Paradise means......." But Alex, a young twelve-year-old boy, had already begun to picture his own version of paradise as he gazed out the window. As he watched the grass in the field sway to and fro in the breeze, and his eyes closed, his mind was transported to his own paradise.
"Now, boys and girls, this is an interesting subject, and I' m sure you will enjoy it!" replied Miss Arthur . She finally got her class to settle down and so she began her lesson. "Now, can anyone tell me what the word 'paradise' means?"
A little girl in the front row raised her hand, anxious to answer the question. "Yes, Alanna." "Paradise means......." But Alex, a young twelve-year-old boy, had already begun to picture his own version of paradise as he gazed out the window. As he watched the grass in the field sway to and fro in the breeze, and his eyes closed, his mind was transported to his own paradise.
When
Alex opened his eyes, he was standing in front of the most beautiful
gate he had ever seen. The wrought-iron style golden gates
stood very high in the air and were richly covered in rubies.
Standing on the pillars were what looked like angels, but they were not
moving, so he couldn't tell. "Where am I?" said Alex.
"You are standing at the gate to the Garden of Eden," answered a voice from behind the gates.
"If this is really the Garden of Eden, who are you? I've read this story in the Bible and Adam was banished!" stated Alex with much pride in his voice.
"You are right, child. I am not Adam; I am Enoch. The Lord our God has blessed me with being the gardener of this beautiful garden for eternity."
"God must trust you a lot. So, what is it like? I've always pictured Eden like paradise. Am I right?" Alex had so many questions. He wasn't sure what to ask first.
Enoch chuckled at the boy's excitement. "Alex, would you like to take a glimpse? " Alex couldn't believe it. Not only did this old guy know his name, but he had just invited him into the most beautiful place he had ever imagined, much less seen.
"You are standing at the gate to the Garden of Eden," answered a voice from behind the gates.
"If this is really the Garden of Eden, who are you? I've read this story in the Bible and Adam was banished!" stated Alex with much pride in his voice.
"You are right, child. I am not Adam; I am Enoch. The Lord our God has blessed me with being the gardener of this beautiful garden for eternity."
"God must trust you a lot. So, what is it like? I've always pictured Eden like paradise. Am I right?" Alex had so many questions. He wasn't sure what to ask first.
Enoch chuckled at the boy's excitement. "Alex, would you like to take a glimpse? " Alex couldn't believe it. Not only did this old guy know his name, but he had just invited him into the most beautiful place he had ever imagined, much less seen.
Alex
couldn't believe his eyes. The scene was brilliant, yet
serene. There were four separate rivers, each coming from a
different direction and flowing with life. They came together in
a magnificent waterfall that seemed to disappear into the depths of the
earth. There were more wonderful trees than he had ever seen
before, each with beautiful flowers and an unending supply of
fruit. The floral arrays were eye-popping. Each bush and
plant had a different color and style of flower displaying more colors
than in the rainbow. The animals all grazed peacefully
together, and even the lions slept quietly under one of the bigger
trees. The sky was pristine with not a cloud in
sight. The birds whistled and chirped in harmony with every
breath of the air. Every part of this natural wonder
blended together to paint a masterpiece of beauty and serenity.
Animal life was evident everywhere and living in perfect harmony.
"What is that enormous tree in the center? Is that the forbidden
Tree of Knowledge?"
"No, child, that is the Tree of Life. The tree facing the west is the Tree of Knowledge."
"No, child, that is the Tree of Life. The tree facing the west is the Tree of Knowledge."
Alex was
in paradise, that place everyone had envisioned, but not seen.
"Enoch, how do I find my way back to this place--you know, when I get
home?" But there was nothing except complete silence.
"Enoch, where did you go? I still have a lot of questions!"
But as Alex asked, he felt as if a enormous arm had wrapped around his
waist and that he was being pulled away.
"Alex.....Alex,
are you going to answer my question?"
"Huh?
Where am I?"
"You are sitting in my class but obviously your mind is somewhere else," chuckled Miss Arthur. "Are you ready to re-join the discussion on paradise?" Alex answered her question, but his mind was still in his paradise, The Garden of Eden.
"You are sitting in my class but obviously your mind is somewhere else," chuckled Miss Arthur. "Are you ready to re-join the discussion on paradise?" Alex answered her question, but his mind was still in his paradise, The Garden of Eden.
AUTHOR'S
NOTE:
The Garden of Eden story is known throughout the world. It has
been translated into over 150 languages and still proliferates as
Christianity spreads over each continent. My story, or should I
say Alex's story, is loosely based on the story of the Garden of
Eden in the Bible. (Genesis 2:8- 3:24) I did not re-tell
the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but expanded the
knowledge of the Garden of Eden. There is very little description
of the actual "garden" in any text. So I improvised, including
themes from pictures people have drawn to my own personal vision.
I did however include a piece of information from the Book of Jubilees,
which is not included in the modern canon of the Bible. Enoch, in
the Book of Jubilees, is said to have been placed in the Garden of Eden
by angels on or around the age of 365 to record the good and evil of
mankind for eternity.
Towards the end of my story, Alex asks Enoch how he could return, but there was no answer. I chose to end the story with this question because it is a timeless question. Where was or is the Garden of Eden? Many have speculated, but no one really knows for sure. However no matter where the garden truly lies, it will always be a place of beauty, magnificence, harmonious nature, and the first TRUE paradise.
Bibliography
"Adam and Eve"- Genesis 2:8-3:24- Bible Gateway
"The Garden of Eden" - Wikipedia
Images
Old School House image provided by Groveland Elementary School Doylestown, PA
The Garden of Eden image provided by Kvetch Blog
Towards the end of my story, Alex asks Enoch how he could return, but there was no answer. I chose to end the story with this question because it is a timeless question. Where was or is the Garden of Eden? Many have speculated, but no one really knows for sure. However no matter where the garden truly lies, it will always be a place of beauty, magnificence, harmonious nature, and the first TRUE paradise.
Bibliography
"Adam and Eve"- Genesis 2:8-3:24- Bible Gateway
"The Garden of Eden" - Wikipedia
Images
Old School House image provided by Groveland Elementary School Doylestown, PA
The Garden of Eden image provided by Kvetch Blog