Thursday, June 22, 2006
So it goes, that there was once a man. He lived in a huge house. It was just like any other day, any other normal day, where nothing of much significance would happen.
And like any other normal day, Misstress Weather comes out to play, subjecting the entire world to what She felt like playing. And on this very faithful day, She felt like Rain. So in She went, and out She came, of the mist, dressed in a flowing, deep-blue gown, emblazoned with clouds.
It wasn't just another gown with designs on it, but as She willed, the gown changed, from a shade of deep-blue, to that of a light one, and then grey, white, and practically all the colours of the sky, even those of which you have never seen. It was ever-changing.
But one thing was for sure. As She got bored, her other half, her alter-ego, the darker side of her, started to take over, and the gown changed - to a shade of dark grey, bordering on black.
Back where the man was sitting by the window, reading his papers, sipping his coffee, streaks of water dashed against his window. And as more of them made their temporary marks on his window, they coalesced, and rolled off.
They reached the ground, but didn't stop there. Slowly, but surely, they flowed down the gently-sloping banks, towards the river, where they collected, and grew rapidly in volume. As the rain got heavier, it rose to a dangerous height and eventually, overflowed.
The man saw this, and being the death-fearing man he was, he sought refuge on the roof of his home. He knew that the rain would eventually stop, and he would be saved. And by the faith of a mustard seed, he was right. The rain stopped.
Up there, Misstress Weather had fallen asleep, and unknowingly, she had saved a life by being the lazy bum that she was.
All seemed well. Everything was fine. The man was alive, Misstress Weather had fallen alseep, and nothing seemed capable of taking this peace away. It was the peace after the storm which everyone thought was meant to be.
But as Fate would have it, things weren't. Not for the man at least. He didn't see it coming.
Under all the pressure, not just from this incident alone but over the years, the dam was at its breaking point. It could hold out no longer, and so it collapsed. And as the water game gusing downwards, the man stared not just in fear, but in awe as well, at the sight of such devastating beauty. Never had he in his life behold such magnificent power. In fact, most don't survive such beauty. And he knew it.
He prayed against all odds. He braced himself as the gargantuan wave made its approach. The power was so great that it shook even the foundations of the building. But miraculously, he survived. The house which he spent so much on didn't fail him. It held strong. He was relieved.
He let out a sigh.
As though he was in some sort of sick comedy, the sigh he sighed,echoed for that instant, and in the next, there was a deep scilence, a second of still. It was as though Time itself stopped. His sigh was the final straw needed to break the camel's back. Then, with a deafening crash, even through the depths of blue, the house which held strong, or so he thought, gave way, leaving him stranded on the roof which was barely staying floating. The sigh, was his ultimate demise.
He knew his time was coming but with still the faith of a mustard seed, he cried, "God please save me!" with the very last of his breath.
But still, he didn't make it.
When he finally opened his eyes, after what seemd like an eternity, he was in a place he instinctively knew was home. It was heaven, and before him, was God.
"Why Lord? Did you not save me?"
"I did. Did you not see the trees that I had uprooted for you? Did you not see The plank that I placed right in front of you? Did you not see the tree and its branches, which held firm, that I had planted before you?"
He was rendered speechless. He had seen, he had thought of, but he did not take action, for he took such things for granted. He was too busy looking for other things which he felt would have been of better use. And this, was his failing.
12:35 am