Suppose Eden were not a traditional garden but a beach on an island in an ocean, a beach at the edge of a benevolent jungle in which waterfalls flowing from verdant, albeit snow capped mountains, fell into shimmering lakes and pools? Would that have made a difference?

It would certainly explain why we’ve never found Eden, not even in episodes of Star Trek. Not long ago in a Galaxy, far, far away nor does it seem likely that it awaits us in a distant future. An Island, a tropical Island, with moist warm air and a dearth of carnivorous insects buzzing annoyingly around.

Perhaps Lilith is still there, now out in the open after Adam and his new consort, confused, fled. And perhaps, regretting that decision but unable to find their way back, Adam and his progeny calumnied Lilith and in the ensuing confusion, led us all astray.

If so, one wonders in which ocean the Idyllic Isle lies? Or perhaps it lies in the midst of a sea. Mediterranean or Caribbean? Arabian perhaps. Or what if it was deceased, the Dead Sea, or the Black? Arctic or Antarctic seem unlikely but then, what better place to hide Paradise?

Waterfalls, cool or warm? And the lakes and pools. Perhaps, like Roman baths, there would be some of each. And fruit trees and bushes brimming with berries, some pleasantly fermenting. And bees willingly sharing their combs.

An Island sheltered from threatening storms but awash in warm showers as night turns to dawn. And featuring long lustrous caverns streaming with underground streams of sweet waters, caverns, not dark but alight with reflected light.

A vegan’s delight, perhaps, except, of course, for the honey.
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© Guillermo Calvo Mahé; Manizales, 2020; all rights reserved. Please feel free to share with appropriate attribution.

Guillermo Calvo Mahé (a sometime poet) is a writer, political commentator and academic currently residing in the Republic of Colombia although he has primarily lived in the United States of America (of which he is a citizen). Until recently he chaired the political science, government and international relations programs at the Universidad Autónoma de Manizales. He has academic degrees in political science (the Citadel), law (St. John’s University), international legal studies (New York University) and translation and linguistic studies (the University of Florida’s Center for Latin American Studies). He can be contacted at guillermo.calvo.mahe@gmail.com and much of his writing is available through his blog at http://www.guillermocalvo.com.