The Fragile Roof

… the rain started falling a long long time ago, but there was a roof keeping things abay. The roof was far from perfect, it was tired but ruggered, incredibly strong. It did not look the part, but played well above the part. It did a job that no one else could do. The rain water was not all sliding off or falling off, so the roof carried the weight of the water and we were not drenched. The roof was bowed from the weight of the rain water but kept holding on. We were shielded from the full onslaught of the rain save the occasional minor leakage. The leakage was infinitesimal, more of a staining, we hardly felt anything.

The roof strained and groaned under the weight of the load but kept going, kept holding its hand out as wide as possible to collect as much rain water as possible. It sure kept raining and when it rained, it poured indeed and the roof kept holding out its hand. None of us knew or fully understood the amount of water the roof was carrying.

Today, the fragile but robust roof gave way! Quietly it collapsed, but it collapsed! We had no idea, none at all of the weight of water it had carried, our covering is gone and we are drenched to our very bones! Our clothes, our heads, our minds, are all soaked with 34 years of rain!!!! We walk around swamp, inuadated, flooded, we feel like we are drowning from the grief of the years that we have been shielded from. We feel the weight of the responsibility, we feel the pain, all rolled together in one almighty hit and we open our mouths as wide as possible to let out the groan of humongous pain. Our mouths wide open we listen with our ears for the inaudible, we heard nothing! Great pain has no words, can not be captured in sound! Silence greeted us.

Roof is gone and our soul is tortured! Our innermost being is wrenched. We stand dripping wet, shivering in the avalanche of sorrow, grief and responsibility. Who will dry us out? Where is our covering? We stand under the rays of our maker and we stay standing as we receive warmth and drying out. Our maker is our covering!

Roof, we salute you! You ran a good race, we bow in respect and appreciation. Thank you for being the one that bore it all, that did not falter until it was your time to bow out gracefully. You have ran your race, you have fought the good fight, you have finshed your course, now there is a crown for you. Rest in the most beautiful of peace.