The Face of Death

The vision one can never get over is the face of death.  We were in the middle of a river, high speed river in a canoe. I cannot swim and I did not have a life jacket on.  One mistake was made and I saw the face of the navigator.  A quick, sharp glance at the oarsman.  But it was too late.  The water had already streamed in.  My boat turned upside down.  At that moment, I remembered my brother’s words – “paddle, always paddle to reach the surface”.  I paddled.  There was the light.  I could see light!  Before I knew it I had climbed onto the back of the boat.

My mother was stuck underneath and we recovered her after 15 long minutes.  We had taken a trip to celebrate my birthday.  I thought I would never want to celebrate my birthday ever again.  But I remember the face of death and smile today, because I saw that it was not meant to happen.  I will have my second birthday since that day and I can finally celebrate life!  I have finally understood why a birthday is meant to be celebrated.  I now have the reason to have a ‘happy’ birthday.