The Tree Of Life

When I'd first heard the story from a flower seller at a market about St Peter's last will and testament, a hidden box, magic leaves, and maps to the Garden of Eden, it had sounded incredulous. But here we were, walking on ground that had not seen a human footprint for thousands of years.

We heard no calls of animals or birds, just the gentle sound of rippling water. Several sparkling oases appeared. A few hundred yards ahead, nearer to a large garden, a crystal-clear river flowed through the grassland. It poured into pools and wadi waters. Prolific foliage and fauna grew on its banks.

Sean stood in stunned silence. "You see that water? It's flowing, but coming from nowhere. It's like a clear liquid with rainbow colours reflected in the water. I've never seen anything like it in my life!"

"The River of Life," Joshua said. "It's mentioned in Ezekiel and the Christian book of Revelation. I never dreamed it could be true, but here it is!"

We floated further and I felt overwhelmed by peace. Euphoria burst forth like bubbles from my innermost being. I couldn't stop smiling.

"Anyone feel different?" I asked. "I feel the same as I did as a child on Christmas morning. It's like having a child's innocence and trust."

"I feel light as a feather, wheeeee!" Becky said, and started to twirl and dance like a ballerina. "I feel the same as I felt when I first held Wesley." Her face had a healthy glow.

knelt in the lush grass and wept, his shoulders shaking. I had never seen him cry; not even during Wesley's illness.

"I feel like I am being washed all over," he sobbed, "waves of warmth. And I feel a heavy load has fallen off my shoulders." He stood up moments later, and taking Becky's hand, he began to dance around with her, leaping and spinning like a child.

"Like a blind man who can now see," Josh said, "experiencing the world for the first time --excited, thrilled and confident in a good world: a world where people care for others."

"I must video some of this," Becky said, holding up her phone camera.

"I have some great photos of the SAS captain dancing," Joshua laughed. "And John, you look slimmer!" Turning to Becky he said, "Come on, I have an idea."

took her by the hand and they ran ahead to an area surrounded by plants, flowers, shrubs, fauna of every size and colour. The whole area was resplendent in reds, yellows, oranges, whites, an abundance of colours and shapes. Small stalks, huge stalks, tiny leaves, massive leaves, the garden like every garden in the world gathered in one place, displayed in wonderful abundance.

On the soft green velvet garden, under the shade of a resplendent tree, Josh knelt down on one knee. "Rebecca Morgan, will you marry me?"

"Of course I will," she said, joining him on her knees as they kissed passionately. But it didn't seem out of place.

"Dad," Becky said, "can you use my phone and take Josh proposing again?"

That will be one f...f...great snap," Sean said. "You know I can't even swear here!" He laughed and laughed, and we all joined in.

Photo session over, we drew near in hushed reverence to two trees where Becky and Josh had knelt. One strong and healthy tree with medium-sized flat green leaves. The other tree withered, blackened and gnarled. Underneath the dead tree, a plaque of tree bark was etched with ominous lettering.

Josh translated, "'Beware the children of Eve and the Nephilim'. I think the first part refers to a race of Amazonian type women."

"Amazonian women, huh? And what are Nephilim?" I asked.

"They were," Josh said, "according to Genesis six verse four, offspring of 'the sons of God' and 'the daughters of men', gigantic men apparently who inhabited Canaan. David fought one called Goliath, and he had several brothers."

"Well if they're anything like our Goliath back home, they would be awesome," Becky said.

"Aye, that would be a fight and a half," Sean said, taking a leaf from the healthy tree and examining it shiny and moist in his hand.

Within seconds, it disintegrated and vanished, and as each of the others reached to take a leaf, exactly the same thing happened. However, it did not happen to the ones I took.

"Ah, see John, you are the Chosen One." Sean bowed his head in mock surrender.

Becky stroked my shoulder. "He's right, Dad. Think about how you met Joseph and Simeon. Think about the words in the parchment." My neck hairs tingled.

Reaching for more leaves, I then found the same thing happened as Sean had experienced. I could only take a few leaves.

Josh said, "It's like the manna in the Old Testament. A family could only collect what they needed. Anything more was forbidden."

I placed what I had taken in the cloth bag.

We behaved like children, laughing and snapping more photos in the pleasantly warm sunshine.

"Me now, Boss, and then you," Sean said.

The phone clicked as I snapped one of him standing under the gnarled tree, pointing towards the sign and flexing his biceps. Sean took a photo of me under the Eden Tree, looking up at the leaves and pointing.

In that place, an indescribable peace, a tranquillity I had never known, permeated everything. I think we all felt it, as we sat silently under the shade of its branches.

The Bible says, "Be still, and know that I am God." And we were still. And we did know.