The Curious Snowflake, Part 2

Part 2

The Curious Snowflake was now beginning to worry
that no one could answer her question.
So she went at last to the very center of the Great Cloud
where snowflakes rarely go
to see if anyone there could help her.
She searched and searched for someone to ask,
and then, just when she was going to give up,
she saw a single snowflake hanging motionless in the air.

“This must be a very special snowflake,”
she thought to herself,
“for I have never seen anyone so still before”
He was very small, and very beautiful,
and unlike any other the Curious Snowflake had ever seen.
“Hello, young one” he said in a kind voice.

“Hello,” the Curious Snowflake replied.
“Who are you?”
“I am the First Flake,” he said
“When the Great Cloud first formed, I was here
and when the Great Cloud vanishes, as all clouds must
I will be the last to Fall.”
At this, the Curious Snowflake became very excited,
for here at last was one that might be able to help her.

“I know of your travels, young one”
the First Flake continued,
“for I know much of what happens in the Great Cloud.
Please, ask me your question.”
At this, the Curious Snowflake became even more excited.
“First Flake,” she stammered
“if you can’t help me, I don’t think anyone can.
What happens when we Fall?”

“What have other flakes told you?”
the First Flake asked.
“Well,” she replied,
“the star-shaped flakes say we disappear,
but that makes no sense
because there must be a reason we exist.
The needle-shaped flakes say we are here to learn
but that makes no sense
because some learn faster than others, so that wouldn’t be fair.
The pebble-shaped flakes say we are here to be perfect
but that makes no sense
because some never have a chance to learn how.”

At this, the First Flake laughed quietly,
shimmering beautifully from within.
“My dear young one,” he said
“you are rare indeed.
Not one snowflake in a million is like you.
Most are content with the answers they receive
from the others like them.
But not you. You must ask, you must question.
So for you there is only one real answer to the question you ask.”

“What do you think happens when we Fall?”

The Curious Snowflake was stunned.
She had asked everyone else this question,
but never thought to ask herself.
“I don’t know,” she answered slowly.
‘that’s why I’ve been asking everyone.”
“Of course you know, in your heart” the First Flake replied.
“If you were simply looking for an answer,
the first one you heard would have been enough.
But you kept looking and looking,
asking and asking,
which means that the real answer is within you!”

“Does that mean that you don’t know either?”
the Curious Snowflake asked.
“Whether or not I know doesn’t matter,” the First Flake replied
“what matters is this: would you accept what I say,
or would you question it?”

The Curious Snowflake thought about this for a moment
and felt within her heart that it was true.
“Thank you, First Flake,” she said with a smile.
“The Great Cloud is a very big place
and the knowledge I need to answer my question
must be there, waiting for me.
I shall go and find it.”
And she floated away.

For a long time, the Curious Snowflake wandered the Great Cloud
learning all she could from every flake she met.
She danced the dances of the star-shaped flakes
until she was thought as beautiful as any of them.
She whirled and twirled to the very edges of the Great Cloud
with the needle-shaped flakes
until she was thought as learned as any of them.
She chilled herself in silence with the pebble-shaped flakes
until she was thought as good as any of them.
She also visited the First Flake many times,
hanging herself motionless in space until she was as still as he was,
and laughing from within until she shimmered with it as he did.

But despite all the pleasure,
all the knowledge,
all the goodness
and all the wisdom she gained,
the Curious Snowflake still never quite answered her biggest question.
Usually, this didn’t bother her, but sometimes it did,
and during these moments, she though of Falling,
and rather than the horror that every other flake felt
she felt a strange longing and curiosity.

Then on one of her tired days
as she traveled along the bottom of the Great Cloud,
the Curious Snowflake felt a odd heaviness within her.
She gazed down at the gray and featureless surface
of the Ground Below
and that strange longing and curiosity overcame her again.
And, without strain, without fear, without hesitation
she simply let go. Let go of everything.

And the Curious Snowflake Fell.