The First and the Last

FLASH!! "A light?" spots fill my blinded eyes. "What was that?" I asked, dazed and confused. "It was nothing," whispered a voice in my ear. I could not see anyone, but then again, I didn't know what sight was.

"No, really," I replied. "Something just filled the air; it was strange, I've never experienced anything like it."

"Nothing to worry about," said the voice. "You will learn to see soon enough."

"But it was cold, I felt a chill creep down my back. I...I'm afraid; it wasn't right." FLASH!! "There it is again. What's happening? I feel suddenly dirty; what's this fuzzy blur all around me?"

"Oh that? It's just your eyes opening to the great world around you. A world where you are your own master."

"There are forms all around. I don't recognize them; but I used to play here. Why didn't I notice this all before?"

"There are many new things you will find, and all sorts of pleasures to enjoy."

"But I was happy before. I had all I could ever want. Want? What is this thing I crave? What is this desire I hadn't felt before?" FLASH!! FLASH!! "So bright," I said covering my eyes with my arm. "I don't like it, it hurts. Pain? I have never known pain before."

"It won't last, believe me. It will be worth it for all the riches you will embrace."

"I don't want them, I want to go back." Suddenly I realized that something was in my hand, as I looked down my eyes clearly came to a perfect focus, and I saw my nakedness. With utter disgrace I dropped the fruit from my grip and it rolled to the trunk of the tree where I noticed the bite on its side. "What have I done?" I asked as my body began to quiver and shake.

"You have opened your eyes, nothing more," answered the voice.

"I...I need to hide. I can't let him see me like this. He's coming isn't he?"

"What do you mean?" asked the voice. "See you the way you really are? He made you that way. He will never know what you did."

"But I know, and you...you lied to me. It...It's all your fault!! You were the one who made me do it!!"

"I wasn't the one who ate the fruit, after all I only said that it would open your eyes, and it did." At that moment I ran and hid in the bushes; my heart beat heavy and fast. Sweat trickled down my face. "Such uncleanness, such bitter deed I have done! How could I have betrayed his trust? He gave me everything!" A rustle sounded in the bushes next to me so I jumped, "Who's there?" I shouted in a panic. Then I saw my partner with whom I used to laugh and sing, and dance and play; but she too was naked, and her head was facing the ground unable to look into my eyes.

"We were deceived," she said after a short while. "What will we do when the master comes?" Just then I heard him calling. Quickly we crouched to the ground, our breath heavy and fearful. He called again, this time there was a sterns in his voice, so I answered.

"I am here," I said as we both came out trying to cover ourselves with leafs and branches.

"Why were you hiding?" he asked.

"Because we are naked," I shamefully replied.

"Who told you this? Have you eaten from the tree which I had commanded you not to eat?"

I was afraid, I wanted to hide from what I did. So without thinking I tried to put the blame on my partner, anything to get me out of this. If I could convince him it wasn't my fault, then he might forgive me? So I said, "It was the woman you gave me who gave it to me." But how foolish that was; trying to say it was his fault for creating her. That it was because of his imperfect gift that I sinned. But the fact of the matter is, I had eaten, and I was wrong.

So he turned to her and asked, "what is this you have done?" But like me she tried to put the blame elsewhere, "The serpent deceived me, so I ate," she hastily replied. It was at that moment I realized the voice which spoke to me earlier was the serpent she meant.

Then the master spoke again, those words like daggers in my soul. I cannot bare to repeat them, but as it was we were banished. I knew I would never return to the joys and wonders of the garden. It was my task now to labor and work off the land; to gain blisters and soars just for that purpose of eating and struggling to survive. There were pleasures, yes, but none like in the garden; just a temporary relief to get me by.

I had many children with my wife, and they had many more. But because of my sin, I had passed down this curse from generation to generation. As each lived, deep down inside they all longed for what I once had. But there was hope for them; as I was the first Adam, there was also to be a last.
(Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:45)