Salvation

The photo above was shot in the Botanic Garden. Below is a free verse poem.

Salvation

When I was surrounded by the Dark Sea,
I saw a Light shone from the Lighthouse.
The Air was overwhelmingly dark,
overshadowing all that was around me;
The Waves were furiously roaring,
overthrowing me, drowning me.

Yet I saw a Light shone from the Lighthouse
seated steadily on the Shore afar.
So brilliant, so sharp, the Light
penetrated through all that it passed,
through the Air, through the Waves,
it reached to me--- a lost soul struggling to live.

Still overwhelming, the dark Air.
Still furious, the roaring Waves.
Yet the Light embraced me,
Bringing strength, courage, and peace,
driving me to swim upward,
forward, toward the Light.

More overwhelming, the dark Air.
More furious, the roaring Waves.
Yet as I kept on swimming,
the Light became brighter,
dwarfing the Sea of Darkness
and everything within.

Then I heard the sound of a siren,
loud and clear, like that coming from a ship.
All the sudden the Light shifted
away from me, yet with increasing brightness,
it pointed toward a new direction---
the Light focused on a Grand Object.

What I saw I could not believe---
The largest fishing ship I'd ever seen.
So large, so incredibly large, it made me
wonder whether everybody in the world
could fit in. Then I saw, on the Fishing Ship,
multitudes of joyful faces watching, cheering, calling

my name. The glory of the Light radiated from
every single face. "Come up, son!" A distinct voice
stood out from within the crowd. Then, I saw
Him, the Captain, pulling out a Cross-shaped ladder
along the side of the Ship. I could not believe
the Captain was saving me Himself!

Something amazing happened when
I was climbing up the ladder: the Sea Water
on my body dripped down like rain!
I was all dry and clean when I got up to the deck,
like I'd never been in the Dark Sea before.
But my eyes weren't dry as tears of joy burst out.

There He is, before the Multitudes,
the Captain, my Saviour, smiling at me
with a face shining like the sun.
I couldn't help but run toward Him,
into His open arms. In His embrace,
I'm filled with tears again.

All the sudden a beam of the Light shone into my soul.
I heard within me - loud and clear - the Light's voice:
"For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found." Looking into my eyes,
the Captain said, "Come, follow me, and I will make you
fishers of men." At once I nodded and followed Him.

I am now a Fisherman among the Multitudes, working
on the Fishing Ship, following my Captain, leading
by the Light, saving lost souls from the Dark Sea, expecting
someday to reach the Shore, my ultimate and everlasting Home,
and most of all, longing to meet my Dad face to face
in His Lighthouse, where I shall live happily, forever and ever!