PREAMBLE

Just through the red door lies a mystical place where live the little-known creatures, the ones the world looks upon as myth and legend.  In this realm, they live and breathe, just the same as you and I.  Journey with me through the red door, to the place of imagination and we will find a new dimension of reality.

The new day calls out with an invitation from those beyond the door.  It is they who wish to meet us and share their tales!

I hear Grandpa Ansel, a respected elder, greeting the new day, in his usual fashion.

Hark, nobles ones of the realm!

In no rush, I amble up the road to Rehoboth, the red door beckoning its welcome.  Stepping into the brightness, my eyes taking a moment to adjust, I sense the weight of the world lifting.  Up ahead are Grandpa Ansel and Uncle Gunder, bindles upon their shoulders, making their way toward the hills.  Gunder no long lame, matches Grandpa, stride for stride.  From behind, they could be twins.  I call out and they pause their march, allowing me to catch up.

“Good day!  You’ve come in time to see Gunder off!” Grandpa exclaimed.

“You’re leaving, then?” I asked Gunder.

“It’s time.  I’ve healed and like have overstayed my welcome,” Uncle Gunder answered.

“Nonsense!  This is your home, Gunder.  It’s not possible to overstay your welcome at home.  There is always a place for you at our table here,” Grandpa Ansel stated.

“Thank you, Ansel.  I won’t deny the comforts here.  It’s a lot more hospitable than my mean circumstances, but I’ve built a life up in those hills,” said Gunder.

“You know, Gunder, the life you carved out of the wilderness is fine for a young gnome.  The trouble is, we aren’t young gnomes any longer.  Where once we were swift and sharp, now we are slower and perhaps, a bit dull.  You know I speak truth, brother.  If it were not so, that polecat that caused your return to Rehoboth could never have ambushed you.”

“True enough, Ansel.”

“I remember how it was with us, the mischief we created and the trouble we got into.  Do you remember the time we showed the bunnies the bounty of the garden?” Grandpa asked, with an uncharacteristic giggle.   “Oh, the feast they had!  When the old gnomes saw the damage done, they were hopping mad.  We knew we were done for if they figured out who had loosed those bunnies!”

Laughing hard, Gunder answered, “I’m not sure which punishment was worse.  The work we had to do to reseed the garden after letting the bunnies in or the ‘house arrest’ for the lies we told to cover up our mischief!”

“Definitely the weeks of confinement under Mum’s and Grandma’s ever watchful eyes,” answered Grandpa.  “First, we lied about releasing the bunnies.  Then we had to tell more lies to try and keep the first lie hidden, all in the name of trying to avoid getting into trouble!  Deep down, even before we treated the bunnies to their smorgasbord, we knew it was wrong.”

“I suppose we did.  Still, it seemed like a good idea at the time.  We were young.  We thought the bunnies deserved a treat.”

“Our first clue should have been the need to sneak the bunnies into the garden, under the cover of darkness.  Anytime we think sneaking is the only way to do something, we know we are going down the wrong path, but I don’t know that we knew that then.  We sure did learn that lesson quickly!” said Grandpa Ansel.

“We tried to fabricate such a story to hide our guilt.  Do you remember, Ansel?”

“I do.  After first denying that we had anything to do with the bunny caper, we needed a dozen more lies to try to keep our ‘story’ straight.  It was quite the web of deceit that we wove, trying to avoid the truth!  There’s nothing quite like knowing we had messed up and not wanting to own up to it,” Grandpa answered.

“I remember wondering how Mum and Dad knew exactly what questions to ask.  They knew all along that we were the culprits, and they knew we lied about it.  They lead us along with their questions and let us dig ourselves into deeper and deeper trouble.  Ah, the arrogance of youth!  To think that we could outwit the wise ones with our fabrications!  Now it’s us who are the wise ones, capable of sniffing out a lie!”

“Mum did help us to hang ourselves!  She fed out the rope and we eventually ensnared ourselves in our elaborate web of lies.”

“Mum was more heart-broken than mad, if I recall,” stated Uncle Gunder.

“Yes.  Dad, too.  We broke their trust in us and that is what broke their hearts.  Neither of them believed anything we said for a long time afterward,” answered Grandpa.

“Aye,” Uncle Gunder responded, lost in his own thoughts at this truth.

“Gunder, I miss you.  I want you to come back down from those hills, for good.  Reminiscing with you these past weeks has been good for my soul.  Won’t you at least consider it?” asked Grandpa Ansel.

“I’ll think on it, Ansel.  It has been good reconnecting and you’re right when you say the wilderness is best suited for the young gnomes.  For now, though, brother, we’d best make our journey.  I appreciate you coming along for the hike.  Now, I can return the hospitality you’ve shown me.  And, just maybe, we’ll trek back together and then you can help me build a house!  You might have to teach me how to live properly among civilized folks, too!’

Under the watchful eyes of Iver, Uncle Gunder’s pet crow, I watched them walk off together once again.  Brothers reunited.

References:

Prov 6: 16-19( There are six things the Lord hates,
    seven that are detestable to him:¹⁷ haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,¹⁸  a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, ¹⁹ a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.)

Prov 12:19(Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.)

Col 3:9 (Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices)

Ex 20:16 (You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.)