Josiah’s Eyes
What do I see when I see your eyes?
I see the pool where you lost your life
Enshrouded in a shimmering veil
Dead to the horror in your mother’s wail
I hear my voice calling to the One
O dear God, restore my son!
A pain so sharp I cannot breathe
Tears of fire trace my cheeks
I taste the anguish in my throat
A fog of grief swarms my soul
Hellish darkness, thick as night
And then I glimpse a glimmering light
The One is before me in glorious white
In agony I groan, come save his life!
He rises up and slowly comes near
And lifts me from the clutch of fear
God’s divine choice conquered the night
And carried my son from death into light
He breathed in you and set you free
To live and become all you will be
What do I see when I see your face?
A miracle, for your life is His grace
Our talks and laughter when you are near
All the more proof that God is here
What do I see when I see you smile?
Wisdom victorious, in its own time
Love and tenderness growing within
Destiny, purpose, the will to win
Here you are rising, from child into man
And in every battle, I know that you can
Find the will to endure, to overcome
I am so proud, for you are my son!
By Paul Richardson (on Josiah’s 13th birthday)
Photo by LauraRhoades.com
A very deep and touching poem writte by my brother to his son who survived a near drowning as a baby. Paul knelt and prayed by my side as I resuscitated Josiah with mouth to mouth+CPR training I received as a cop. I still remember my brother standing in helpless agony, holding his baby's cold, limp, bloated, blue, lifeless body after retrieving him from the bottom of our family's swimming pool that morning so many years ago now. What an amazing outpouring of God's mercy and goodness we witnessed that day as his heart began to beat and his mouth opened to gasp for air!!! God be blessed and praised forever.