The Family Angel

As I surfaced, she cried out in desperation, "I can't find Jordan." I dove down to the bottom, in panic, and looked through the weeds, brush, and in the rocks, but came up empty-handed and out of breath. I took a quick breath and went down again to continue my wild search for my youngest son who could not swim. This time my search included an inconsolable fear that I was too late. I clawed through the murk, mud, and darkness reaching out to feel a human form, my 3 year old son. But I search in vain and felt an impending despondency that threatened to rule my every being.

Angels do come in different forms at different times and can be found within your own family. In our case, our oldest son became an angel at a crucial time. We decided to vacation at a camp and experience the outdoors--hiking, sightseeing, swimming, and perhaps even some canoeing. Although experienced in boating and comfortable in the water, I have spent very little time in a canoe and was not entirely at ease with the process of getting in and out of a canoe.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed our time of hiking and playing outdoors and it became time for all of us to enjoy a little canoe trip down the small river. I steadied the canoe and the family got in as I held the side of it. I recall the words from 9 year old son, Jacob, as he reminded us to put on a life jacket. I confidently stated we could put the life jackets on once we were all settled in the canoe. Fortunately, Jacob decided to go ahead and place the jacket around his body. The rest of the family gently got in the canoe and it was my turn.

I stepped in the canoe the way I normally get in a boat, but the canoe began to shake and weave and within seconds flipped over and everyone ended up in the water. As I fell in the water, it occurred to me that the small river was in fact deep with fast moving water beneath the surface. As quickly as possible, I surfaced and my wife who was having a little trouble staying afloat said, "I can't find Jordan." Jordan was about 3 years old at the time and had not learned how to swim.

Upon my second return to the surface as my lungs and heart neared the breaking point, I saw our oldest son, Jacob, holding Jordan by his arms and paddling toward the bank. Jacob had seen the need, grabbed Jordan, saved his life and took him to land where the rest of the family had safely arrived moments earlier.

I learned many lessons that day including hold onto your glasses when you go under water, put on life jackets before entering the canoe, enter the canoe from the bow not the side, and most of all be grateful for the times when an angel enters the scene in the form of a person. Thank you, Jacob, for being you.