Rose Colored Glasses - Chapter 1
EDEN
Rebecca's sad brown eyes fluttered but did not open. Why even bother, she thought, today is just like all the rest. Sighing, she took one long deep breath and waited for the pain to rack the long bones of her body. After a few moments of sweet comfort, without pain, she rationalized that, with movement, the terrible bone crunching pain of Arthritis would return. For years, now, that old man Arthur, as she called him, had been a pain in the hip and everywhere else.
Deciding to face the day, she opened her eyes. Dismayed, she found that she was not in her bedroom, but had, somehow, wandered away from home. She had been sleeping in someone's garden. I hope they don't get mad, after all, what harm can an old cripple lady do except maybe crush this gorgeous, green grass? Looking around, she was amazed to see such magnificent flowers, their colors and design, beautiful in every detail.
Rising from the ground, she saw something in the distance, which sparkled like diamonds. Taking several steps forward, she found that the displays of lights were coming from a blue lake, one of the bluest that she had ever seen. After a few minutes of awe, she suddenly realized that she had risen and walked without so much as an inkling of pain.
Where is this place, rolled across her mind? Aloud she said, "How did I get here?"
"That's what I would like to know. I didn't think they would let and old reprobate like you in here."
Turning, Rebecca was shocked to see Polly, her old friend, from childhood days, standing there, looking like a young woman of 25. How can this be? Polly was four years older and had died two years ago.
"Are you surprised?" asked Polly.
"I must be dreaming; you aren’t for real."
Polly smiled and said, "Don't be afraid, after all, it was you who told me to meet you at the gate. So here I am."
Rebecca started to cry of sheer joy as she said, "You mean we made it, we really made it?"
"Yep, but it looks like we have been sent to a garden. I guess the gate is yet to come."
"Oh, so that means, we haven't really made it, right?"
"I haven't figured that one out yet. To tell you the truth, I just got here not long ago and I really don't know anymore than you do."
"But, you have been gone for two years," exclaimed Rebecca.
"Really, wonder where I have been?"
"Maybe, you've been getting your beauty sleep."
"Think?"
"Sure," laughed Rebecca, "why else would you be looking so young?"
"It's great, isn't it?"
Rebecca's voice lifted in pitch as she replied, "Great, nothing, miracle is the word."
"Yep, it sure is," smiled Polly. "I couldn't believe it when I looked in the lake and saw a younger face staring back at me."
"You are so blessed," commented Rebecca. "I sure wish that something like that would happen to me."
Polly looked at her friend and saw what Rebecca was yet to see a young girl of about 21 with long dark hair and beautiful sparkling eyes.
"Come on," urged Polly, "let’s walk down to the lake and look around."
For Rebecca, the walk was painless and she sort of sprinted down to the water's edge. Yes, she must be in Heaven, because she hadn't taken a pain free step in 20 years; but here, in this place, her prayers for healing had been granted.
"Thank you, God," she whispered.
"What did you say?" questioned Polly.
"Oh, I was talking to God, just thanking Him for my healing."
"Well," grinned Polly, "look in the lake and see why this must be a place of many miracles."
Obeying her friend, Rebecca looked into the lake; the mirrored image of a younger self looked back. Like her friend, she was a young girl again; the wrinkled face and the gray hair had all been replaced by youth. Amazed, she started to cry, which, in turn, made Polly start balling. Here they were two young girls, in a beautiful place, happy and yet, if they were already dead, who could hurt them? Well, there was God and the Judgment.
Although, she had given her heart to God and His Son, Rebecca knew that she wasn't perfect. After all, she was still in love with a married man; she didn't know how she would be judged for that. No, there had been no affair. Heck, she had been nothing to him but his secretary, girl Friday, and family friend. She had carried out his orders at work, baby-sat for his twins and even taken a few days off to help his wife, who had come down with the flu. She had kept her heart hidden, always careful to do nothing that would jeopardize her relationship with Michael, the love of her life.
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