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[The Sandoval Signpost (Web edition) is pleased a punch (diet punch that is) to bring you the humor and insightful human observations of Daniel Will Harris, author of My Wife and Times. We continue this entertaining series with Daniel’s observations about going over the edge... of a waterfall! —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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