A Nevispages weekly feature by Curtis Morton Sr
The way I see it, DEATH is not a topic that many persons would love to discuss. However, it is indeed a reality that we all MUST deal with at one point or another. I mean, the fact is, every day that God allows us to breathe the breath of life, it’s a day closer to our eventual demise.
WE WILL DIE!
Earlier in the week, I was privy to a most sombre conversation. I could have been talking about Cricket, sports in general, COVID-19 issues, religion…..but here I was engaged in a conversation, about how I would prefer to die.
Well I newa!
The conversation was fueled by the breaking news of the drowning death of yet another Nevisian youth, at Gallows Bay. (By the way, sincere condolences to the grieving family).
So, most persons in the discussion, indicated that they would prefer to ‘die in their sleep.’ Meaning, that they would go to bed, in the normal, routine manner and just not wake up.
Nobody wanted to suffer a drowning death; death via a vehicular accident or plane crash; being shot or stabbed to death, or being found dead in a house or elsewhere, after many days, when the body has already deteriorated. The reality check came, when one participant in the discussion, stated emphatically: ‘As if you all have a choice!’
My focus of attention today though, is on that Gallows Bay area and with specific concern with that small pier. I have had my run-ins with that small pier.
Only God knows!
Many years ago, as our custom is, our Church Sports club members, would go on Sunday mornings to play Tennis and then go to the beach. The main aim of the beach stop, is not only for pleasure but more importantly, to teach persons who are interested, to swim.
So, on this particular Sunday, we got to a point where we were jumping off the small pier. There was a little girl (big woman now), named Chandy and she was just learning to swim.
The atmosphere changed to panic when it was suddenly realized that Chandy was missing from the pier, as everyone else was accounted for. We looked into the water—No Chandy.
Then the horrible thought struck, that she may have fallen into the water and by the way, on that day, the water was dark and murky.
Joya, who is a great swimmer and actually helped me during my early days of learning to swim, leapt in first. After all, it was her niece who was missing. I leapt in right after. I went down, but I couldn’t see a thing. Nothing dark so! I came back up for air. Joya was already up. No Chandy!
I dived again.
This time, I depended solely on feel. I was feeling with my hands. I mean, I could not see a thing. My lungs felt like they were about to burst. I had to get back up quickly, but I made one last sweeping motion with my right hand and I felt something.
It felt like hair. I pulled hard and headed for the surface. Thank God, it was Chandy who broke the water with me!
Of course, we headed home right after that. It was a sobering end to the day.
Recently, I saw Chandy at her work pace in town and I asked her if she remembered the day. With a wry grin, she said: ‘I was small and reckless then.’ She had actually jumped off the pier, while we were not looking, even though she was not yet a strong swimmer.
Several years after that, we were back at the Gallows Bay area and back on that small pier jumping off. On this day, a gentleman who I will refer to only as ELDER T (for the purposes of this class), came along with us. Now some of the children were diving off the pier, head first and truly enjoying themselves. The water was exceptionally clear on this day.
Elder T walked onto the pier and shouted that he was going to show the youngsters how to dive properly. He leapt off the pier, with a smooth curve and broke the water. Great dive.
But then, no Elder T.
Moments later he emerged, holding his head. He was bleeding profusely. His head was busted. The area was so shallow that he had hit the sand at the bottom! He had to be taken to the hospital and was kept in overnight for observation.
Since then, I have not ventured onto that small pier.
Personally, I think that the powers that be, should do an assessment of the area and place relevant markers and signs, indicating the depth of the water and alerting would be swimmers, to be extremely careful when they are in that area.
Meantime, what about us?
The big question is: Are we fully prepared for the inevitability of death?
In other words, are we cognizant of the fact that when we die, based on the lives we live, we will eventually end up in one of two places: HEAVEN or HELL?
It means, therefore, that we should live our lives in such a manner that will please God, who created us and will judge us in the long run.
May God help us to be wise in the way we order our lives.
That’s the way I see it. How do you see it?