The reflection in the still pool

Stephanie S. Johnson

For Matt, one of the special joys of winter is the swimming pool! A hotel near his house lets neighbors come and use its indoor pool. There can be a bitter cold wind howling outside, but inside the pool area, it's always steamy hot.

One day when Matt arrived, the pool area was empty except for the lifeguard. It was so quiet. There were no voices or splashing sounds echoing off the windows. The water was completely still. Matt's mom gently stopped him at the edge of the pool. She asked him to look at the water and tell her if he noticed anything.

"The water looks just like a mirror," Matt said. He also pointed out, with a laugh, how many chairs, tables, and umbrellas had been added to the room. What he saw in the water was a reflection. There had always been tables, chairs, and big, open umbrellas all along the edge of the pool. Now, because of the reflection in the pool, it looked like there were twice as many of them. Looking into the still pool, Matt's mom took just a moment to explain something about God and about man as His image and likeness.

Send a comment to the editors