I once saved an innocent child from drowning
He grew up to be a tyrant
In the pursuit of perfection, he drowned his entire nation
Then he drowned the whole world
In the end, he drowned himself and died anyway
I once saved a woman from dying
She had decided to face death with grace
Unable to let go, I brought her back to life
Months later her body was found floating in a cold river
There was evidence of great suffering before she had succumbed
I stopped and asked
Do we really save someone when we save their life
Do we really save them or are we saving ourselves
What drives us to save lives
Is it a mere instinct
Or just an obsession rooted deeply in our own past
Or something noble ensuring a place for us in the company of Saints
As I save another woman, I, silently ask for her forgiveness
Because I do not know what evil awaits her when she leaves my sanctuary
As I am declared a hero for saving another child, I quietly say a prayer
For his victims
For his nation
For the world
