The Stream

Long ago, when the Earth was new, there was a little stream flowing through the forest. Now this little stream was very unhappy. It would often think to itself, "I just ramble on and on through the forest, without any real purpose." It would look up at the great tall trees and feel very small. It would see the mountains standing majestically and the blazing yellow sun lighting and warming the world each day. It watched intently at the white fluffy clouds as the lazily raced each other across the bright blue sky. It would see hawks soaring freely through the air. When night fell, it would gaze longingly at the twinkling stars, so small, yet so bright. It would behold the shining moon drifting through the velvet night. It would watch in awe as the lightning flashed and tremble when when the thunder crashed and boomed. All this made the stream sadder and sadder. "I exist in such a beautiful world, full of marvelous things." It thought, "A small and purposeless bit of water like me does not belong in such a place." The little stream felt quite forlorn as it trickled on through the forest.

One day, as the stream was meandering along under the great trees, the blazing sun, and the eternal sky, it encountered a small child. The child was splashing happily in the water. The stream was intrigued. The sight of this child playing stirred something within the stream that it had never felt before. The stream slowed to observe this unusual sight. The child looked down into the water and made a silly face. The child giggled. The stream felt hurt. "Why do you laugh at me, child?" The stream inquired. The child giggled again.

"I am not laughing at you, little stream. I am laughing at my reflection." The child explained, amused.

"I do not understand." The stream said sadly.

"I can see myself in you." The child explained.

"Really?" The stream said, surprised.

"Yes," the child replied, "And I can see the trees, and the sun, and the sky, and the birds, and the clouds. I can see everything in you!"

The little stream was stunned. It could not believe that all those wonderful things it had seen and envied had been inside it all the time. As it was considering this, the child spoke again. "My father says you are going to the Sea."

"The Sea?" The stream asked, confused again.

"My father says the Sea is huge, with water as far as you can see. He says that all little streams like you end up there."

This was almost too much for the little stream. In the short time it had talked with the child, all of it's fears and sorrows had disappeared. It had a purpose. It was a part of something great. It was filled with joy. The child continued to play and made another face. This time the stream laughed right along with the child. Then the little stream, still laughing, went upon it's way.

Now all streams laugh to themselves as the make their way to the sea.

For Beth Froehlich, who is one of the most beautiful women in the world.