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The Sandoval Signpost (Web edition) is pleased
as punch (diet punch that is) to bring you the humor
and insightful human observations of Daniel Will Harris,
author of My
Wife and Times. —Ed]. |
Over the falls
By Daniel Will Harris
I had the strangest dream last night. I dreamt
I was a drop of water. No, not a drip. A drop. I was part
of a fast moving river, all movement, excitement, and the
occasional fish or rock.
It was winter, and I found myself trying not to get too close
to the icy edge lest I become frozen for months while other
drops flew by.
I was going faster and faster, and then in an overhead shot
(the kind that somehow seems natural in a dream), I could
see myself heading towards Niagara Falls.
I loved the fluidity, the speed. I loved being able to find
my way into and out of cracks and crevices. All around me
billions of droplets were taking a similar trip, but I hardly
noticed them. I was too busy enjoying the feel of gravity,
pulling me closer and closer to the edge, then finally
o
-o
-o
-o
-over it.
I felt the weight
less
ness
of the drop,
momentarily
becoming m i s t
separate,
flying.
I hit the river with enough force to make a tiny sound that
was part of the roar, then I was rushing into a giant concrete
pipe. It was dark and it felt faster, harder. It sounded different.
Dull but pulsating. I was forced into the giant electric turbine
generator. There I was, a drop of water, generating power
for the eastern seaboard. It was all pressure and sound and
the risk of turning into steam...
----------------I shot out at jet speed--Too hard--Too fast.
Finally, the river I was in slowed. Then stopped. I was now
part of a huge, tranquil lake. No movement. No action. No
excitement. What I had feared had come true. I thought I would
be bored, but it was actually wonderful. I felt like part
of the lake instead of just a drop.
I woke up. It was raining. I thought about the raindrops
differently.
I have a lot of strange and entertaining dreams, but I had
to laugh at how obvious this one was, just in case I might
miss the meaning. I was reminded how important it is to remember
that we're all part of something bigger. We're not on this
planet, we're part of it. We need each other. Alone, we're
just a bunch of drops. Together, we're powerful.
The web is the same way. We're not just "on" the
web, we're part of it. We all contribute to it, when we create
our own sites and just as much when we're the audience for
someone else's. Unless we're frozen, we've got to "go
with the flow." You can steer, but you can't go upstream.
Since that dream I try to remember I'm part of something
new, fast, and exciting. But rather than feeling like I have
to constantly be moving, I try to remember to take some time
to sit back and enjoy being a part of something bigger than
myself.
Enjoy the ride.
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