Adam ‘knows’ his wife and they have children. Obviously the word ‘know’ includes sexual love, but also knowledge of heart, mind and body in perfect balance. Adam and Eve were created perfect ‘in God’s image’, but then they decide to disobey God by eating forbidden fruit. They ‘fall’ - which means they allow selfishness and sin into their thinking, and it lurks in their minds like a computer virus, and is passed on to their descendants - every human being. This means we are not naturally loving, and need God’s constant help to control our dark side. Seeing what they’ve done, Adam and Eve feel guilty, and they make two mistakes that still wreck relationships: One, hiding. They feel ashamed and hide behind fig-leaves. In a healthy relationship, you are safe to show your dreams, faults, flabby bits, fears, feelings, worries, achievements - yourself. Couples that hide, usually for fear of not being accepted, risk not really knowing each other, and need to discover real intimacy and closeness and trust. (e.g. He thinks, ‘She couldn’t handle it if she knew how afraid I was at times. She’d think I’m a coward.’ Meanwhile she’s thinking, ‘I wish he trusted me enough to tell me his fears instead of pretending he’s fine.’) Two, blaming. Adam blames Eve for his choice! Trying to look better by putting the other person down can slowly strangle love. But they make an important discovery: forgiveness. God forgives them for sin, and they learn to forgive each other. This is still the basis of all good relationships. People who can’t forgive lock their partners into the mistakes of the past, and keep their minds full of bitter memories. Healthy relationships demand you to give forgiveness and acceptance - and give it to you as well. Adam and Eve’s marriage lasts about 900 years! Lifelong love is God’s ideal - and possible, even for fallen humans.