I was filled with excitement as the day of my baptism finally arrived. After years of instability and insanity, I have finally found peace within religion and an unconditional belief in God. Getting baptized was a big deal for me, and after this, I feel like I’ll finally be complete.
For this sacred ritual, I picked a modest chapel adorned with flowers. Various prayers hugged the interior walls, its environment at a constant calm as it was in a secluded area.
As the ceremony started, the room filled with anticipation, a priest, dressed in his pristine white robes, led me to the baptismal font—a small pool of holy water.
My small circle of family and friends gathered around, their eyes fixed on me, their smiles warm and encouraging. At this moment I am surrounded by the people dearest to me everything is finally coming together, and nothing else matters.
As I stand before the baptismal font, my heart fills with a profound sense of faith. The moments leading up to this devotional act have been filled with reflection, prayer, and a deepening connection with my spiritual beliefs.
The water before me represents a symbolic rebirth, a moment of transformation, and an outward expression of my commitment to my faith.
The atmosphere is serene, adorned with the gentle flickering of candlelight and the faint aroma of incense. I feel a comforting presence enveloping me, reminding me that I am not alone on this journey.
The priest, a figure of wisdom and guidance, stands beside me, his voice soothing yet powerful. As he speaks, I listen attentively, allowing his words to penetrate my soul and reaffirm my devotion to God.
Following the priest’s signal, I step into the water, its coolness caressing my feet and grounding me in the present moment.
The priest’s hands cup the water, and as they pour it over my head, I feel a profound sense of surrender. The droplets cascade down my face, a physical manifestation of grace and purification. Uttering the gospel, He lowered my body into the water, and for a brief moment, I felt a sense of serenity wash over me.
In an instant, I was aware of the transformative power of this act. I felt the weight of past mistakes, doubts, and insecurities lift and get replaced by a profound sense of peace and renewal.
I feel connected to something greater than myself—a divine presence that wraps me in its loving embrace. But as they pulled me out of the water, something went astray.
My eyes shut open, and to my shock, I saw my body emerging from the depths of the holy water while I stayed still as a rock.
Tossing and turning, jerking and twisting, no matter what I tried, no amount of strength I put into my body, I stayed unmoved.
I tried to speak, to shout for help, but no sound escaped my underwater prison.
Panic set in as I realized that, despite my body resurfacing, I remained submerged beneath the water’s surface, completely helpless.
It was as if I were split in two—my physical body standing on the edge of the font, smiling at my family, preaching with the choir, while my consciousness remained trapped beneath the liquid veil.
Time seemed to stretch into eternity as I struggled to comprehend my surreal predicament. Desperation clawed at me, but I couldn’t find a way to break free. The water enveloped me, holding me captive in its icy embrace.
I was going through hell under, but above, the ceremony continued undisrupted, and the priest offered a final blessing, anointing my body with sacred oils.
The gathered community welcomes me into their midst; no one even noticed that the person who resurfaced wasn’t me.
With each passing moment, the world above grew distant. The voices of my loved ones became faint echoes, their happy faces mere blurs through the rippling water. Fear and isolation consumed me, and I longed to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin once more.