To work and to keep it

"..might I have a bit of earth?"  Mary in the Secret Garden.

'The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.'  Genesis 2:15 (ESV)

Humans are fascinated by other living things, thus our obsession with pets, gardening, keeping fish, breeding race horses, showing cattle, going to the zoo, watching nature shows, raising orchids, or whatever your favorite hobby or past time might be.  There is some innate part of our natures that is not happy in a sterile box.  We must have life, change, growth, expectation, and struggle if we are to flourish.  I am as eager to try dabbling in my garden this spring as I was back in elementary school when we planted beans in a milk carton.  There is just something that fascinates us about life, our own and our fellow creatures.  We were made that way.  Whether you watch your own children grow, are breeding guppies in your aquarium, or are simply growing a bean in a milk carton on your windowsill, there is a simple, childish glee and delight in watching, nurturing, warding the 'creatures' in our charge. We see it in the youngest children, they are obsessed with cats and dogs, cows and horses from the day they first encounter them.  They find no greater thrill than planting seeds and watching them grow.  And most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, will admit we never outgrow the wonder.  Why else do otherwise sane and well-adjusted people post countless videos of their cats on the internet?  Why does anyone else care to watch said 'cat videos?'  A bit of earth and a bit of story are about all we need to be content, or should be!