I was standing on the shore looking across the emerald green waters at a beautiful island.  I had heard about this island.  It was a virtual paradise.  It was said everything a person could dream of was there. 

I had been told there was an only son of the man who owned the island.  He came to shore and told people about it.  I had only heard about him and the stories he told.  He said his father wanted everyone to come to his island.  He was to invite all he came in contact with to come to the island to meet the Father.  Some say the son was a doctor and made people well. 

I heard some people killed him because he was different.  They thought he was crazy.  I was told people I knew had gone there but none had ever come back.  I didn't know what to believe about all of this.  I knew I was curious and I would like to see this place.  It was where I wanted to go but I had no way to get there.  I couldn't swim that far.  I owned no boat.  There was no way to get there as far as I knew.  I sat down and stared at the island.  It appeared very real and not a figment of my imagination.

I became conscious of someone sitting beside me.  I did not know this person nor did I know how long he had been there.  We just sat there for a while and then we started talking.  We talked about my life.  The sorrow I had experienced and that no matter how hard I tried happiness eluded me.  I had no satisfaction in my accomplishments. 

Then he began to talk about the beauty of the island and the peacefulness that was there.  He told me it belonged to his father.  He talked about it for a long time.  When I was hungry he produced some fish and bread.  I don't know where it came from as he had nothing in his hands.  Then a thought came to me…the father had only one son.  I heard him chuckle.  When I looked at him he was smiling at me.  He said his father brought him back to life.  I was speechless.  He then asked me if I would like to go to the island.  I was afraid.  I didn't know this man.  I didn't know what he wanted from me so I asked him.  He said he wanted a friendship with me.  I believed him.  I told him I had no way to pay for a boat to make the trip.  He told me it was free.  I had a hard time accepting this.   Why would it be free?  I told him I could do something to earn my way.  He said this was not possible.  It was a gift.  It could not be earned.  This was the condition his father had set forth.  I told him I saw no boat and wondered how he could get me there.  He told me he knew I believed him but I would have to trust him and that there was no other way.  I had a choice to make.  I either had to trust him and let him take me there or give up the possibility of going to the island.

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