Natasha Lewis
"Gratitude for Shelter"
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| (Photos by Patrick Fraser) |
Interrupting our progress, interrupting our plans, rain comes and we can do nothing about it. As the drops come plummeting down from heaven, one tiny bead at a time, they nourish the parched ground. But too much, too quickly and they cause difficulties; they make simple things challenging and shape our world with their force and power.
What can we do but run for cover in a rainstorm? When we have not a shelter, we become drenched and are left gasping for breath as we feel the rain soak us through. Yet with protection, we can be sheltered from what goes on around us. The rain can pour and yet our small shelter can provide a sanctuary from the storm.
How often have we stood beneath an umbrella hearing the plunking of rain drops, watching them roll down and drip off the edge? In that moment, we feel uttermost gratitude for that refuge, the only thing that stands between our comfort and the world’s harshness. When you start to feel those first few drops fall, where is the umbrella you want to be holding?