Verses Upon the Burning of Our House: A Response Essay

The phone that had kept your soul in touch, the bed that had forever got your back, the guitar which had always given you peace of mind, the drum set that never left, when your emotions had to cry out loud, and the notebook that had listened no matter what, in highs and lows, to all your victories, dramas, and rants.

All of us have treasures embedded in our hearts, and at times so deeply that simply imagining the loss of a single one would make us feel so empty- so incomplete.

So what more seeing all these possessions closest to your heart burn down one by one? Definitely, a stab in the heart; but is losing your treasures at some point also a blessing, or is it nothing more than just a dreadful curse?

For years, I have believed it is, and will eternally be, the latter. However, Verses Upon the Burning of Our House- July 10^th, 1666 by Anne Bradstreet turned my perspective about losing my most cherished possessions, around.

First of all, it made me realize that we are all merely tenants of this residence called Earth; one day, we would all grow weak, turn to ashes, and eventually be part of the soil. Therefore, we have no right to complain or to question Him for whatever it is that we lose; instead we should be thankful as He has given us a chance to get a taste to love and to be loved by these treasures. “I blest His Name that gave and took;” Job 1:21, (Line 14)

Next, along the journey, God may throw spikes, banana peels, and obstacles on our way, sometimes He would compel us to face our inmost fears, sometimes He would get the things or people dearest to us, but the story conveys the message that He will never give us challenges we could not face; His love is perpetual and it will never abscond; that He might have left us with nothing, but He left us with enough. “He might of All justly bereft, But yet sufficient for us left.” (Lines 19- 20)

Lastly but most importantly, we should learn to lift up all our sorrows and joys, doubts and certainties, and hates and loves to Him. After all, what is there to worry about, when we know that the Man upstairs is surely watching over us? That amidst all that we endure here on this dimension, our Almighty Father will, at the right time, welcome us with open arms in Heaven- our ultimate abode where we will finally receive the serenity and completeness we have unceasingly yearned on Earth. “Ther’s wealth enough, I need no more; Farewell my pelf, farewell my Store. The world no longer let me Love, My hope and Treasure lyes Above.” (Lines 51- 54)

As painful and ironic as it may seem, losing your treasures is actually more than just a dreadful curse, it is a blessing- a gift from God. Because once you think about it, there is indeed no loss in saying adieu, for these treasures are merely physical, worldly representatives of God. After all, who was it really who had kept your soul in touch; forever got your back; had always given you peace of mind; never left, when your emotions had to cry out loud; and listened no matter what, in highs and lows, to all your victories, dramas, and rants? Ask yourself; was it truly your cherished possessions or the Big Man up above?