Dawning

By the middle of the fourth day, over half the human population was lost. That is when the virus lost its grip -- it had run its course.

Regaining sight was immediately followed by tears. Tears of joy and relief. This was followed by hugs for the nearest person and then to others in the groups that survived. No one used their recovered sight to judge; only to love. Having lived through the same horrendous experience made everyone equal. Seeing again was ecstasy.

Regardless of where they came from, regardless of what they had done, people now shared the same moment and the same experience. The few days of blindness, desperation, fear and helplessness made the remaining population think. Once the terror had left them to some degree, they had to examine themselves. They began to awaken. A monumental paradigm shift was occurring in humanity.

Once the groups finished expressing their feelings, their next thought was "What now?" Some wandered outside to witness the damage. Abandoned cars were everywhere in the cities and highways, decaying bodies in the streets and no movement. It seemed that the groups were attached by some invisible magnet as they surveyed the situation. No one wanted to be left behind. Roy spoke:

"John, Mike, take to the road and check on our neighbors. When you go by a grocery store, get some cans, dry goods and water; load up the cars. Mike, do you know where Steve Johnson lives on Sixth street?"

"Sure do."

"He is a ham operator and, if he is still there, ask him to follow you on the way back with his equipment. We'll try to raise some other hams and get some news. If you see anyone that doesn't know what to do, tell them to find some camping equipment, load up at the grocery and give them directions to this house. If you see children or parents with children, tell them to go to the high school gymnasium. Betty will meet them later after we form some kind of plan. Two of my foremen live nearby and I'm going to drive by with the company walkie-talkie to have them join us, if they can. I have a feeling we're going to need them."

"Dad, there may some people that have not yet regained their sight."

"Gosh, you're right, Mike. I have to slow my thoughts."

"Mike, drive slowly and blow the car horn as you drive. The sound will give them hope. If someone comes out, get them and bring them into the car. If they have regained their sight, tell them to get into their vehicles, do the same as you and make sure they know how to get to our house."

"If you see any pickup trucks in driveways, stop and check the house; minivans, as well. We need to transport as much as possible as soon as possible. Our next foray will be at Woodfield Mall to gather all the walkie-talkies we can find, as well as all the camping equipment we can find. Any questions?"

"No, Dad. We're on it."

All over the world, groups formed to support each other. Many Roys around the world took charge of the situation with wisdom and common sense.

Stabilizing food, water and shelter came first, followed by establishing communication with other groups. There were many self-sufficient communities already in existence -- the Amish, The Farm in Tennessee, Indian reservations, kibbutzes, remote tribes, etc. They all had the same capability of mutual support of the community. They would become models for The Recovery. The exodus from large cities to small communities would soon begin. The skyscrapers built from power gone wild would provide material for the future.

Roy and Betty had their family around them as they watched tents being raised like mushrooms popping from the ground. Every single person who came would first come to the couple and give them fervent hugs. All thoughts were synchronized from the calamity. Humanity truly was realizing it was part of the same family. It was impossible for survivors to see anything "wrong" with anyone.

When the influx of survivors trickled to a few people, everyone worked together to ensure all were secure in their new environment. Strangers went from tent to tent and asked if they could help in any way. Everyone cared. When night came, it seemed as though no one wanted to go to sleep. Roy finally ended it:

"Folks, we have a lot of work ahead of us. We'll have a gathering in the morning to discuss our options to go forward. Please get your rest tonight. There is definitely no hurry as long as we are together and take care of each other, but we have a huge responsibility to the children and grandchildren to help them get through their lives. That's what we will talk about in the morning. Betty and I love you all and bid you a good night."

The group felt the message immediately. As of one mind, everyone returned to their tents and soon, silence returned.

Sunrise

As Roy and Betty awoke, they could hear voices outside. Dressing quickly, they ventured downstairs and exited the front door. There were dozens of people standing in front of their house, waiting for them to appear.

"Good morning," Roy bellowed.

GOOD MORNING!" the group returned.

"Are you ready to go to work?"

"YES!"

"All right. I've been thinking about what we need to do. The first thing is to accept reality as it has become. However, as I talked to Betty last night before going to sleep, it is important to appreciate what we have in our current situation. We are alive. If that is not the most important element in each of our lives, we will miss the value of life."

"Another thing we have missed under the iron fist of the ruling class is the beauty of nature and the source of our bodies - Mother Earth. What I would have you do this morning is to accompany my beautiful wife as she shows you her gardens and communicates her relationship with her plants and flowers. She not only has a green thumb, she can make a stone grow into a rock. Any takers?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Betty walks down to the group and asks them to form a single file behind her. It is a beautiful spring day; the sun is just starting its warming duties and the sky is cloudless and deep blue. Birds are chirping and chasing each other in the dance of reproduction. Overhead, a skein of geese heading for their summer grounds are honking their intent.

Betty begins heading for the Japanese garden first. As the group silently follows her, their eyes scan the environment. Everything is neat. Even the stone path they walk looks as though each stone was purposely placed where it lay. Betty leads them through a decorative gate into the garden and waits until all have entered. She speaks:

"This area is for contemplation. I come here to relieve all negative thought. The sand in the middle is raked every day to mimic waves of water. Many people live near water for a very real reason. Water is an integral part of our being. As I contemplate what I see, I can feel the interconnection of life. It only takes a few minutes for me to be at peace."

The rose garden was next.

"Roses are interesting to me because of what Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying. He said that we should be happy that thorns have roses rather than saying that roses have thorns. I love both the thorns and roses because of that. I have all the colors here, including black roses. The color difference is not a differential factor. Every color is beautiful."

The main flower garden was next.

"I wanted to have these flowers represent the beauty in every flower. The colors have a purpose, the shape of the petals have a purpose -- all determined by their relationship to Mother Earth. They simply want to express their happiness for being alive, just like we should."

"I love gardening because growing things represents creation to me. I can take a tiny seed and watch it grow into its purpose. The seed contains all the knowledge of being what it is and executes the instructions in its DNA to become a tree, a bush, a radish - whatever. A plant's DNA is not that much different from our own. They are living organisms and they communicate. I always talk to my plants. The more kindness and compassion I demonstrate, the more they want to grow for me."

As Betty proceeded to the main greenhouse, group members started talking about what they were seeing. Their regained eyesight was appreciating every bit of the garden. Sighs, tears and handholding throughout the group.

Filing into the greenhouse, the first feeling was warm moisture.

"Folks, try to crowd in as best you can. (Others had joined the group). The greenhouses were designed to create food. It is no secret that if we simply used Mother Earth's fruits and vegetables, we could all be healthier. We are omnivorous, but we actually don't need meat as food. All we need to survive and grow is available in a vegetarian diet. Part of the reason for global warming and the destruction of rain forests is humanity's desire for meat. Roy and I have not eaten meat since our college days."

"Much of the food here is chosen for nutritional value. Tomatoes, beets, cauliflower and others have fantastic vitamins and minerals. Roy and I were discussing building a hydroponic greenhouse that could produce much more bounty with less space. That will be put on hold for a while, at least until we build our new community.

Let's go see my lovely bees. The hives are in the back, so we have to walk through the orchard. I planted cherry trees for them - they love the blossoms."

The cherry orchard was resplendently in bloom. The smell was heady and strong -- and heartwarming. The group felt closer and closer in their reverie. Exiting the orchard, they saw the beehives. There were several dozen arranged in neat rows. Betty stopped and turned to the group:

"Honey is the most complete food there is. I store a hundred jars or so during the summer and donate the rest to the food pantry down the road."

As Betty was speaking, several bees landed on her. She didn't flinch. Soon, hundreds of bees followed and began covering her neck and face. The buzzing grew so loud as to drown out her words. It wasn't long before her upper body was crawling with bees.

"I think they missed me the last few days," she says. "They are giving me kisses of joy. Many people are afraid of bee stings, but those are usually caused by the aggressive behavior of the human, not the bee. I love my bees and they know it. I was devastated when I learned of bee colonies dying off because of chemical pollution, GMOs and the like from corporate idiots. Bees are essential for food production. Without their pollination abilities, there would be a huge food shortage, not just for humans, but all animals. All right, babies, go to your blossoms and get to work."

As Betty retraced her steps through the cherry orchard, bees departed her body to follow her instruction. As she headed back to the house, people began dropping out of the group to linger and think. The seed of a new appreciation of humanity's relationship to Mother Earth was sown.