My mother, who passed in August 2017, loved this hymn, ‘I Come To The Garden Alone’ .
My parents, my mother, Joy, married at 16 years to my father, Russ, 21 years old. Both so beautiful
Sang it often. I have come to appreciate and regard the meaning of the words as reflective of her sense of being in relation to Divine. It is a most special hymn to me, in that it was among my mother’s favorites.
For myself, it is easy enough to think I adopted the hymn for myself. However, the truth is that as a child I experienced some horrendous behaviors that were terrifying and frightening to a child, and terrifying when I as an adult look back on the experiences from an adult perspective and have to acknowledge indeed the experiences well deserve the words horrendous. Of course, I am not alone in those kinds of experiences, so much suffering among human kind, although that is not where I want to dwell in this post.
Since my mother sang the hymn, and because I did feel alone in the experiences, the hymn really does fit my child experiences well, and joyfully fits my adult beliefs as I travel through the years seeking, searching, and realizing that each of us is alone at some point along the way. I do Come to the Garden Alone. And yet not lonely, nor alone totally.
In my young years, Jesus was my personal friend and savior, and yes, I loved the photo showing him as white with blue eyes and long hair. I recognize I needed that savior at that time in my life. I realize as an adult that while I may yearn for a Savior, want a Savior, the historical Jesus was more an example of being human in reaching divinity. Jesus as the resurrected is not a belief set I can attach to any longer. Jesus as redeemer is not a belief set I can attach to any longer. Jesus as an example, and not strictly an example of kindness, as the example offers many layers to sift through. Jesus, my Jesus, the Jesus that I loved and love is the Example I need it my life, day to day, to get through to another day.
I Come to the Garden Alone.... 