THE LONG FALL  -  Columbia River Gorge, OR

Each drop of water pauses at the cliff’s edge, peers over, and then hurls itself into the unknown.

Some never make the full descent; they’re caught along the way by outstretched branches, nourishing the trees. Others slip into mosses and algae clinging to the cliff face, feeding the smallest lives. Still others ricochet from stone to stone until the air gathers them up, lifting them skyward to seed the next cloud and begin again.

But a few hearty souls complete the long fall, landing with a triumphant splash to keep the river flowing, sustaining the gorge and all who call it home.

It is a lesson in courage, in generosity, in trusting the process. By daring the leap—by embracing the long fall—each drop finds its purpose in giving life to everything around it.