The river carried Rain further and further, until the water grew wider and slower. Soon he could taste salt in the air. He had reached the sea.
It was huge. So wide, Rain could not see the other side. The water rocked gently, rising and falling like slow breathing.
Fishing boats swayed near the shore. Rain slid down their sails and onto the decks, leaving tiny dark spots on the wood. A fisherman looked up from mending his nets and nodded with a small smile. Far away, the deep sound of a whale rolled through the water, low and kind, like a greeting.
Rain wandered across the surface, joining the waves as they curved and broke. Sunlight glittered on every crest, making the whole sea sparkle. He felt small here, but in a good way - part of something so big it could hold endless stories.
The sea told him a truth: you don't have to be the biggest to belong. Even the smallest drop matters in the wide, endless blue.
When it was time to move on, Rain drifted up with the mist, carrying the sea's calm strength inside him.