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While alone at night, have you ever been suddenly and uncontrollably overwhelmed by sadness for no reason? You cried without understanding why. Were you drawn to do something but you didn't know what? You felt a struggling urge to flee to somewhere familiar in hopes of understanding your feelings and finding the answer; and the first place you thought of going was where you experienced the last memory of happiness you once had. This happened to me.

At four o'clock in the morning, I ended up driving to the ocean. I parked my truck and walked down the steep steps that led to the shore; while holding on to the wooden hand rail damped with the ocean's mist, I could only feel the cold wind and hear the thunder of the waves crashing against the rocks as the early morning was blacken by the clouds covering the moon. I knew why I was here.

I once spent the afternoon here with my Father. He used to call the ocean his friend. He was a boat builder and liked to watch the boats as they sailed into the harbor. We sat on the jetty rocks watching the huge yachts pass us by with the great sound of the wind flapping beneath their sails. My Dad never had a bigger smile as he stood up in excitement. I remembered this vividly as I sat on the cold sand with tears in my eyes.

Then suddenly I heard a scuffle behind me. I turned to see a lady in white climbing off the cliff rocks as the moon light pierced through the clouds and seemed to make her glow. I quickly wiped the tears off my eyes as I noticed she was walking towards me. She greeted me and asked me why I was so sad. I asked her how long she had been watching me. She replied, "I’ve been sitting here waiting to see the sun rise and I heard your cry." She sat next to me and with her finger she drew a circle in the sand. As she rotated her finger around the circle, she asked me, "Where on this line are you and where is God?" I told her I didn't understand her question. Then she said, "Your life is traveling on this circle." Then she indented a dot in the middle of the circle and said, "Put God in the center of your life and rotate around Him always keeping your eyes on Him in everything you do." Then she said, "You still haven't told me why you're so sad." I then replied, "I lost my Father, he loved coming to the ocean and I feel closer to him here." She smiled and looked up at the dark clouds and said, "The sun is coming out soon and it will warm you up. In the light you can make sense of it all better than in the dark. Your Father knows your here." She looked into my eyes and I could see the reflection of the moon shine on her face. Her stare felt like she was looking into my soul. Then she stood up and said, "Keep your eyes on God and everything will be fine." Then she walked away into the darkness of the cliff until I couldn't see her anymore. Then I heard her voice from far away saying, "I agree with you Alex, the ocean is a beautiful place."

I sat there until the warmth of the rising sun shined through the clouds and gently touched upon my face and it brought me a strong inner peace and assurance that I wasn't alone. Then I realized I had never told her my name. I then knew she was an angel.

I go often to the same beach in hopes that my guardian angel appears to me again. This is my inspiration for creating "Nissrine, An Angel's Radiance". Since this angelic encounter, I've decided to dedicate myself in trying to capture and illustrate the beautiful radiance of the angel that touched my soul. We've all entertained angels unknowingly and it makes me wonder how many times have I sat and talked with one. I now have this question in mind every time I meet a good person in either a strange circumstance or just in a normal everyday setting.

Author: Acropolis De Versailles

Soon after my Father died, I decided that every morning for one month and at 6:00 am, I was going to sit on my favorite bench that overlooks the ocean. I once sat here with my Father and listened to him telling me of his dream of building a 30 foot replica of the Santa Maria ship. My Father was a boat builder and since his childhood he had been building and designing boats.

I felt closer to my Father sitting on that bench and with my hot coffee and a melted cheese croissant, it was an easy challenge I enjoyed through the winter season. Close to the end of the month an older lady came and sat next to me. She too was holding her coffee as she bundled up her heavy coat to keep warm. We sat there and had a long conversation. She met me on the same bench every morning for four days. I enjoyed her company. But one morning she stop coming. And for the remaining 5 days of the month I didn't see her. I worried she had fallen ill. I went back the following month hoping I would see her again. I sat there again at 6:00 am and waited. Then I saw her coming and being wheeled on a wheel chair by the hotel attendant. I felt so sad watching her on that wheel chair. She had the biggest smile as she called out my name. She told me she was watching me every morning from her hotel window that overlooks the ocean; but she couldn't come down to sit with me because her back had given out. She told me she would have her cup of coffee as she watched over me every morning. She said, "I was watching over you even though you couldn't see me." She also told me she was leaving the country for a while and that she was grateful for all the conversations we had together.

I felt sad as we said our goodbyes then I watched her being wheeled away. From a distance we waved at each other. I sat there looking out into the ocean and thinking of all the conversations we had and something she said kept on echoing in my mind; "I was watching over you even though you couldn't see me." There was something peculiar about how she said this.

Two days later, I returned to my favorite bench and I stared at the hotel she had been staying in. Her echoing words by now had stirred up my soul and I wondered if it was possible that I had been entertaining an angel. I got the nerve to enter the hotel and I asked the clerk about her. He wouldn't check the hotel records until I told him I was a good friend of hers and I was concern over her health and I needed to know if she was still alive. Without further hesitation the clerk checked his records then he told me no one by that name had registered into the hotel. I asked him to check again and he did. "No one by that name is registered, I'm sorry." He said. Instantly I felt weak and I sat down on a couch in the hotel lobby. How can this be? I saw her come and go from this hotel many times. I sat there for the longest time.

I finally walked outside and made my way to my favorite bench. I sat there and stared to where she once sat. And again her words echoed in my mind. What was the purpose? What was the message? What words did she say to me that tell me of a message that is so urgent that an angel appeared to deliver it to me? I kept on rambling in mind trying to figure it out without success.

For weeks I wasn't the same. I found myself staring into space just thinking about the whole experience. I told no one about it. I felt it was something very personal and no one would believe me nor really care anyways. No one could possibly feel what I was feeling. So I kept it to myself but something in our conversations stood out. She always ended our conversations with saying, "I agree with you Alex, the ocean is a beautiful place." At the time I wouldn't have known that years later I would hear the same words from a stranger who would touch my soul and change me forever.

Author: Acropolis De Versailles

Living near the beach, I glanced outside my window and knew it was the perfect time to capture a good sunset as the summer sun began to pierce through the rain clouds. I quickly got dressed as Jesus, took my camera back pack and tripod then drove to my favorite beach. When I arrived at the beach, it was packed with people as far as the eye could see. It was around 6:00 pm and the sun was still high and I knew it was going to create a spectacular sunset. As I got off my truck with my friend who carried all my gear, I thought they'd laugh at me as I had to walk between masses of people on the sand just to make it to the ocean waves.

As I got close to the noisy crowd, it started to get quiet as I walked among them. Then it happened; I started to hear the whispering words, "Oh my God!" repeatedly throughout the beach. People began to turn around to look at me while others got up from the sand to see where I was as people began to point at me and say, "Look! There goes Jesus!" Then the masses became very reverent, humble and polite as many smiled in admiration and support. Three little kids who were building a sand castle suddenly stopped, got up from the sand and pointed their little fingers at me while they joyfully yelled out, "Jesus!, Jesus!, It's Jesus!" Their parents nodded and smiled at me in approval.

I set the camera's configurations then gave it to my friend and directed him on what kind of shots I wanted. I told him to wait until I was fully wet. I made my way into the water and plunged myself into a wave. Nearby was a rock formation that was exposed in the water. I knew if I stood next to it and I held on to it as though I was holding on for life during a storm, it would make for a dramatic picture. As I was trying to find my footing and pose for the shot, I glanced up and saw a thin and fragile man of 75 years of age making his way through the waves as he approached me. He reached out his trembling hand to me in desperation. I immediately held his hand and arm with both of my hands so he wouldn't fall. Then he said, "I know you're not the real Jesus but can you pray for me?" I said, yes of course I'll pray for you. I asked him what was wrong. He said he had cancer. I looked into his eyes as they filled up with tears. There was a short silence between us as I felt very sad for him. I grabbed his hand and arm tightly and I looked up at the heavens and cried out Jesus! Jesus! Have mercy! Oh Jesus! I started to pray, and then the waves became very violent. We stood our ground as I shouted out for mercy but then I couldn't hear my own voice anymore as though the Holy Spirit had taken over my words.

At the end, the waves became tranquil and we knew God had heard our prayer. The man thanked me and blessed me as he departed. I could see his wife and sons crying while standing by on the sand. I asked my assistant how long was I out there praying with this man. He told me I was out there for a long time; at least 15 minutes. I was surprise of the time as it seemed shorter but more surprising was that I couldn't remember the words I had prayed as though someone else had taken over. A crowd of people by then had gathered and quietly watched as my assistant took the shots. This is one of the shots right after the fragile man departed.

Author: Acropolis De Versailles

One evening, I dined at a restaurant and ordered something real spicy, juicy and greasy but delicious and I knew I shouldn't have eaten it because I'd pay the price later on that night of hearing my wife yelling in my ear and calling me a dummy for knowing better while she gave me the old fish eye look not to mention a couple of slugs on my arm because I couldn't tolerate anything spicy anymore.

I ordered an extra-large hot pastrami submarine sandwich with melted cheese and all the makings for a night to go wrong. I didn't confess to my wife about the sandwich and that night I fell asleep while watching television.

I was in a deep sleep when all of sudden the pastrami came up my throat and I started chocking. I instinctively woke up and tried to breathe without result. My wife woke up and ran to me from the bedroom as she recognized the sounds of my chocking. I signal at her by hitting my upper chest with an open hand to let her know I couldn't get any air in my lungs. My body started to tremble as I was running out of oxygen and my wife immediately reached around my waist to give me the Heimlich maneuver; it didn't help. After what seemed to be a long time, I no longer had oxygen in me and I fell on the floor while my wife kept on giving me bear hugs in trying to help me breathe. She was so scared she started yelling the name of Jesus repeatedly as she compressed my stomach rapidly. I was angry as I knew I was dying.

Then it happened. While on the floor and not being able to breathe nor lift my head, I lay next to our large screen television and saw the feet of many men appear and surround me. They were slightly transparent as I could see some of them standing inside the TV Console. I notice they were all wearing the same dark sand color sandal and their white long robes draped just above the ankle. They seem to be dressed in clothing similar to Jesus' time. I was only able to lift my head partially as I couldn't see beyond their knees so I wasn't able to see their faces. I knew they were men because their legs were hairy and I could even see the hair on their toes. I counted two, four, six, eight sandals and I couldn't turn my head to count the others. There must have been at least 12 men surrounding me. Somehow I knew they were guarding my body and I knew they were angels. I could see the texture on their fabric as they slightly moved while they stood guard.

My wife's shouting of Jesus' name started to fade and I knew I was dying and in desperation, grief and anger, I garbled out in a chocking sound my last word and it was the name of Jesus. I died and I immediately stood in the presence of an infinite panoramic white wall encapsulated in a bright white glowing mist. Everything was silent. I was only a few inches away from it as I looked to the left, the right and upward and notice the wall was infinite in its dimension; I couldn't see its ending edges at all. When I looked down at the wall it was also infinite and I noticed my body was naked and slightly transparent like a spirit as I could see total blackness through me and behind me; I was floating in outer space. I looked at my chest, arms, hands, legs, and feet and even check my private parts to see if everything was there and it was. My skin was lighter than usual as though I never was exposed to the sun. My skin was smooth and younger looking and I had a new muscular physic which I never had before. All my aches and pains from injuries throughout my life were gone. When I glanced to the left, I saw the spoken words of prayers, praise and the whispers of broken hearts; and they made their way to heaven as radiant bursts of color- all traveling at the speed of light and reaching through this radiant wall of mist. I heard many words spoken all at the same time as they were absorbed in this wall.

I looked at the wall and noticed it started to dissipate before me. In the mist; and just a couple of feet away from me, sat Jesus on a simple white marble throne; bold in dimension yet without decorations. Dressed in a white robe with His hair over His face, He sat looking downward while I stared at Him; noticing the wounds on His hands and feet. He wore dark gold-bronze color sandals ancient in style and I could see His toes, ankles and a small part of His leg and I notice the hair on His leg. His left leg was lowered on the step of His throne while His right leg was on a higher step. I could see the textures and details of His robe and brown skin. I could see the hair on His arm that was expose from the long sleeve and thick robe He wore. Both His hands and arms rested on the armrests of His white bold throne. His robe glowed a white soft radiance. I felt a peace overcome my soul as the rays of His radiance reached out and touched me. Around His waist, a wide gold sash was tied then it looped upward twice and then tucked and left hanging. His hair was black, wavy and thick. The length of His hair dropped down to the middle of His chest and seemed to be slightly damped with oil as a few drops dripped off the sides of His hair. His side burns were long and very curly as though they were purposely curled that way. His hair covered His face slightly as I tried to see the color of His eyes. His beard was black and longer than I thought.

I couldn't quite make out the color of His eyes as He turned His head to the right to look at a cherubim who suddenly appeared next to Him and was glowing in a bright white light and had the form of a very tall beautiful woman of at least 8 feet in height with white skin and long gold curly sparkling hair and a long white robe. Her massive white wings were at least 35 feet in length. In her left hand, she held a decorative gold and silver breast plate armor while in her right hand she held a large and long double edge sharp sword which looked like it was made of some kind of pearlescent white-gold metal. The sword sparkled in a white radiance. Then He turned his head to the left and looked down over His shoulder at a long trumpet made of the same material as the sword and it sparkled in a white radiance also. He stared at the trumpet for a while as though he was contemplating something. Then he looked up at me and I finally saw His face and to my surprise He looks like me.

When I started to say His name to ask Him a question, He told me something I can't reveal. Then suddenly I was sent back in my body and found myself still on the floor with my wife shouting the name of Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus... as she rapidly continued to compress my stomach. Then I felt as though an angel blew a strong wind into my mouth. The force of the wind was so strong I could feel my cheeks flapping. I finally got my wind back as my body tried to stop trembling from lack of oxygen. I crawled onto the couch and sat there while I recovered. I couldn't speak right away. My wife held me in her arms as she thanked Jesus and cried. She then told me that while she was compressing my stomach, she saw the feet of men appear around me and she knew they were angels. She told me she could only see them from the knees down as they were all transparent. And an angel's voice shouted at her saying, "Don't give up! Don't stop!"

Author: Acropolis De Versailles