I am surrounded by comfort. I am suspended in the air with many other droplets, and we are at peace. We are held together so close that we are seen as one, we are one. There is no threat, for we are kept safe in our tight cluster. The warmth from a bright light allows us to forget the weak, but present force pulling from below. We do not remember, but we somehow know the light brought us to this peaceful haven. Soon more and more join us, and it becomes difficult for the light to shine on all.

I am surrounded by chaos. The comfort I once knew has been destroyed by darkness. There are so many of us now that the light cannot penetrate through. Why would the light allow this to happen? I search for it, but I know it has disappeared, replaced by a horrendous sound reverberating around me. The force that was once weak is now fighting to pull me down, and I can no longer maintain my position with the others. I slip from those that once surrounded me, and I fall into the unknown.

I am surrounded by fear. As I fall I feel as though I will be torn apart, but I miraculously maintain my form. I sense there are others falling around me, but I move too fast to see them. I am not alone, for they are experiencing the same thing that I am, yet I feel more alone than I have ever felt. I do not know where I will be taken next, or if I will ever stop falling. The happiness I knew when I was surrounded by warmth and comfort seems so far away in distance and time that it feels as if it never existed. I wonder why I ever left that comfort, or why the light and those close to me allowed me to leave. I realize, however, that in order to survive I must brace my self for landing, because I know that it is inevitable.

I am surrounded by confusion. When I land I hit hard, scattering about. I feel others around me landing as well, but we do not interact, we ignore each other. I finally feel that the constant traveling, the constant falling will end. There is a small puddle already being started; it looks peaceful and I decide to join. The puddle is calm, but I feel that I am going nowhere. I try to relax, but I cannot after having traveled so far. The comfort fades even more as additional droplets join. Our small puddle quickly changes to something near a small pond, and it becomes a struggle to stay in. I feel myself beginning to be pushed out, and I decide to leave, seeing where the trickling will take me.

I am surrounded by struggle. I begin trickling down the mountain, aware that there will be a struggle ahead, but unaware of its extent. I come upon rocks, but merely flow around them to continue on my journey. I have already come so far, which is why I avoid the already created stream. I feel other droplets around me trying to push me to the flow, but I continue traveling on my own course. I see that the small stream I avoided ends in a large mucky mess, with little hope for any further movement of the droplets. Finally, I come across a large raging river, but I know my race has not ended.

I am surrounded by excitement. The many droplets in the wild river are welcoming, for we are all in this race together. Yet the feeling of welcoming does not last, because I am often pushed to the bottom of the battle. I suddenly feel warmth, a light from above, and I burst forward, knowing that I will soon reach the thundering waterfall ahead. The water around me gets faster and faster, inspiring me to shoot out, and down the waterfall with ease.

I am surrounded by stillness. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall is not as rapid as the water above. The air is cooler, and the light is growing dimmer. When the light fades I can no longer move, I am frozen. Water beneath me continues to travel downstream, but I remain stuck, with no desire to move. I am sure that I will never move, despite the crushing force from above. I hear a loud cracking as the ice around me begins to shatter, and the strong force compels me to break apart. I finally begin flowing downstream, but I am still frozen, merely floating on the top. I slowly feel warmth, however, and I feel myself melting. I am myself again.

I am surrounded by freedom. I finally reach the vast, teeming ocean, having the ability do to what I want and go where I please. I am picked up by a tsunami, traveling faster than I ever have before. As I travel close to shore, however, I leave the enormous wave, unwilling to leave the glorious ocean. I continue to ride the small waves, going into shore, but quickly retreating back to the ocean. But after many waves, I realize my time in the ocean is running short. I ride one final wave in, and instead of going back to the ocean I stay.

I am surrounded by emptiness. I know I will never leave the puddle in which I rest, and I am afraid of what will happen next. Will I seep down into the Earth, like many around me? Or will I go somewhere else, somewhere unknown and mysterious? The puddle slowly begins to get smaller, and I remember all that I have done, and all I haven’t done. I wonder if I have lived to the fullest extent. I soon feel a familiar sensation; it is warmth coming from above. I feel myself disappear, no longer in existence, and I rise up, back to where I began.