Once upon a time

There was a small, small river

So small that almost no one noticed it even when they passed through it

The river, although was so small got upset about this and became sad

Day after day it though "why I am so small" and "why does not anybody notice me"

Thought

Sad as she was she became even smaller, because much of its energy went to feed its depression

But one beautiful day

A fish lost her way from the ocean

And entered a big river by mistake

Then entered another river connected with the big river

And so after few rivers it got into our small river

And the fish, because it was a wise fish, immediately felt that the small river was not happy

And asked her

"hey, what is going on, what happened"

And also

"can I do something for you so you are not unhappy"

The small river got so surprised

That for a moment forgot in which direction does it flow actually

And after some moments of hesitations, said

"what is your name ?"

And

"how did you notice me and why are you so nice with me?"

And also

"nobody ever knows about me, because I am so small"

The fish listened to the river and said in reply

My name is The Silver fish

And I noticed you because I am swimming in you

And I am usually a nice fish, unless you are a fisherman, and u do not seem like one

The river said then

"but how come you came here?"

And the fish said

I was swimming in the ocean and I got lost

There was a strong storm that did not allow me to orient myself and I got into a big river by mistake, trying to get out I got more and more confused and finally, here I am

The river said then

Why do they call you Silver fish, do not want to offend you but you are not silver, you are quite transparent and again, still do not want to offend you, but you are not very beautiful, so you do they call you silver?

And the fish said

Do not worry, i know that I am not beautiful as the big and the golden fishes that swim in the river and in the ocean

But they called me silver

Because they believed that one day

I will meet someone and would become so shiny and beautiful as the silver 

So

The river said then

Who are you going to meet, did they tell you that?

The fish said

Yes, they told me that I will meet the happiness

And will shine in white glamour

Then the river said

May be I can help you to find the happiness?

May be I can show you the way up to the big rivers so that you come back to the ocean?

The silver fish said

You are so good, although you are so small

Thank you so much, I would be eternally grateful and you friend forever

The river felt so happy and so noticed that it start flowing much faster and in a more joyful way

She said:

You remember, you asked whether you can help me

Now, you helped me

You gave me a purpose in my life

And now even small I can be of use to someone. This is really nice

So, the small river start flowing rapidly and looking across the shores, orienting by the sun during the day and by the stars during the night

The fish swam in the river and felt more secure and confident that she would find the shores of the ocean

Then many days passed

And the river grew much bigger and stronger since it collected more streams

Then it ever did before

And became big powerful river

That everyone start to notice

Because it flow over the roads and the railways

It flooded the crops of the peasants

And it made the soil fertile wherever it passed through.

People all over the region were saying

Yes, it is a miracle how such a small river became so big in such a short time

But

It is so good for the people  that now we have so much water running around

The river heard this talks

And felt very proud and strong

But it kept remembering the promise she gave to the fish

That she would show her the way to the ocean

And they continued their journey

Day after day

One morning the fish noticed something

She said

Hey, river,

I think we have already been here

"how come" the river said, "how do you know"

"look, this is the big corona tree with the twin storks that was exactly in the place where I was when I came into you

Hmm, mumbled the river, strange

How that could be possible

The fish then said sadly

I think I understand

We are going in circle

The river got surprised

And grown high so that she could see where they was

In this moment she saw that she is not a river any more but a huge sea

So big that only one of the shores, the one where the tree was was visible and on the other side was nothing but water

The river said to the fish

Hey, silver friend,

I think that we would not find the ocean

How is that? Asked the fish?

Because we are the ocean, said the small river

Suddenly, the river said

Silver, something else has happened

What? Asked the fish

You are not transparent and ugly any more

You are beautiful and shining and silver. You have become everything you can become

The fish looked at herself and in surprise said

River, it is really true, I am silver now and glow so beautifully ?

The river remained silent for a moment but then said:

I know what happened

“What?” Asked the fish

“The predicament for you have become true, you have met the happiness”

“But how come?” Asked the fish

“I did not know that I met the happiness, I was just swimming in you”

“Yes”, whispered the river, that was now an ocean

“You did not know that you met the happiness but you did”

“Because you have came back to the ocean where you belong”

“And you became what you are and what you expected to be”

“And you also helped a friend to become happy as well

“That is me, I was so small and no one notices me”

“But now, just look at me”

“I am a big ocean and everybody takes notice of me”

“The fish thought for a moment and said”

“River, oh, sorry ocean”

“I know why I got lost some time ago”

“Why”, the rocean asked

“Because I was looking for you”

“How come”, asked the rocean, “you lost you way”

“No”, said silver,

“There is something you should know that I did not tell you before ”

“What is that?” Asked the rocean in a growing gentle stormy way

“I am a sweet water fish”, said silver “and I just realized that when I met you”

“Because of all the oceans and seas and big rivers it was just you”

“That was sweet”

“All of the rest had salt in their veins”

“The rocean stopped the wind for a moments and thought a bit”

“But how did you survived so much time in the salt water after you are a sweet water fish?”

“I was not surviving”, said Silver, “I was dying and I guess I was either looking for a place to die or I was looking for you”

“Sometimes both things are one” said the rilake

And continued to feel the morning as a light breeze over the water

The fish continue to swim and shine in the ri lake ocean

And they liver happily ever after

Some years after

Two kids, a boy and a girl were sitting on the shore

And were looking in the water

The boy said

“Hey, do you know that sometimes people become what they are because of other people?”

The girl said

“Yes, I know that”

“But do you also know that people sometimes when they meet and help other people become themselves”

“Yes”, said the little girl, “I know that as well”

But, the boy asked again

“Do you think it works that way just for people or, for example works for small rivers and small fishes?”

The breeze over the water carried the answer of the girl and the boy never heard it

But the bushes and the high grass that lives on the shore of the sweet water ocean still swing in a friendly manner