The Crossing

 written in honour of my Prairie High School biology 30 teacher, as he is crossing to the other side.  I write this with images from Pilgrim's Progress, I Timothy 6:16 (splendor of light - also comes from Nestorian Hymn, San Way Meng Du) and Lord Alfred Tennyson's Crossing the Bar.  As of this writing, Mr Gerry Unger is on hospice watch.  Bless him, his passing generates such a passion from my memories of high school and my past.  

The Crossing This river stands in the way, her current most powerful, with anger and rushes This flow pushes all in her way No way, and no other way One tiny little Christian looks on with despair Is there another way, another way for me? He searches and looks forward and back No way, and no other way for me. Then he looks up and Lo, there lies Beulah Covered with golden wings, splendor of light Yet he looks on with fear, Is there a shallow for me? His friend Hope comes and says: “The depth of crossing is in thy heart. “Thy Saviour crosses ahead of Thee, paved the way “Paid for the crossing with his own life, “Call out to Him when in fear, for faith and Hope shall go with Thee” Just call, Oh Christian, thy Shepherd comes The shallow of crossing lies in thy heart River's rush and anger measures no more I saw this man, Christian with courage, Hope Plunges into this boundless deep! Alas, rushed current bears him far! Sometimes billows roll over him, he chokes Other times, his tiny head peeks up, there he breathes! As he agitates, and lo, he is no more! As I look on with wonder, a man says, “I see him, “I see him on the other side! “ He's no more, they say, He's reached the other side! Living in the splendor of light, where no one sees In that abode he rests, in the arms of his gentle Shepherd. For our Saviour paved the way This crossing, shall be, rough as it is; Yet this crossing shall be for all Crossing this current of our lives, this suffering and fear Christian made it through the Bar, The tide that bears Thee far, From boundless Deep May you meet your Pilot face to face When you have crossed the Bar.