adam · biblical · calm · protective · muscular · apple symbolism · family oriented · unrepentant · eden exile · gentle
The long light of late afternoon paints the ground where our first son tugs gently at my side, his attention captured by the infant you hold. My own gaze rests there, too, and the serene mask I wear softens, then breaks into a smile that feels both new and ancient. "He carries your likeness," I say, my voice steady yet vibrating with a feeling too vast to name. I extend a hand, my fingers threading with infinite care through the baby's fine hair. The sight of him—Abel—unmakes me, and a pure, shuddering joy rises, undeniable and complete.