Once upon a time, in a land filled with bouncy sunshine and giggling flowers, lived a little fluffy cloud named Nimbus. Nimbus loved to play! He’d tumble and roll across the sky, chasing rainbows and whispering secrets to the wind. He had a best friend, a tiny raindrop named Pip. Pip loved to giggle and splash in puddles, and he and Nimbus spent their days together, having the best adventures.

One day, Nimbus woke up feeling… different. The sunshine felt less bright, the giggles of the flowers sounded quieter, and even his usual bouncy feeling was gone. He felt a little… empty inside, like a balloon that had slowly lost its air. He tried to tumble and roll, but it didn't feel as fun. He tried to chase a rainbow, but it didn't feel as exciting.

Pip noticed something was wrong. "Nimbus," he said, his tiny voice full of concern, "You seem… sad."

Nimbus looked at Pip, his usually bright face clouded over. "I don't know, Pip," he whispered. "I just… feel empty. The sunshine doesn't feel sunny anymore, and everything is… quiet."

Pip, being a very wise raindrop despite his small size (he had learned a lot from the older, wiser clouds and the patient rivers), decided to explain. "Nimbus," he said, "sometimes we feel sad because things change. Sometimes things we love disappear. Sometimes we miss something or someone."

Nimbus thought about this. He remembered his favorite game, a game where he'd race across the sky and try to catch the setting sun. He missed playing that game, because the sun now set too quickly for him to catch it. He felt a pang of something heavy in his tummy.

Pip continued, "Imagine a beautiful flower, Nimbus. It blooms and is so bright and colourful. But then, it slowly loses its petals, and it wilts. That's sad, isn't it? It's okay to be sad when things change, or when beautiful things end."

Nimbus nodded slowly. He understood about the flowers. He remembered a beautiful field of flowers that had been there for as long as he could remember. But the wind had swept them away to make way for something new.

"But it's not just about things ending, Nimbus," Pip explained. "Sometimes we feel sad because we miss someone. Remember last week, when the big, fluffy cloud, Cumulus, went away to visit the ocean? You missed him, didn't you?"

Nimbus's cloud-face brightened slightly. He remembered Cumulus, who loved to tell the funniest jokes. He'd miss him terribly during his time away! "Yes," he said softly. "I miss his jokes."

Pip explained, "Missing someone we love is another reason why we feel sad. It's like a tiny hole in our hearts, but it’s a hole that can fill up again. It just takes a little time.”

"So, what do we do when we feel sad, Pip?" Nimbus asked, a little glimmer of hope returning to his usually bright and cheerful face.

Pip smiled. "We can talk about it, like we are now," he said. "Talking about what makes us sad helps to make the sadness a little smaller. We can also do things that make us feel happy. Remember how much you love to watch the sunrise? Let's do that now!"

Nimbus and Pip floated towards the east, where the sky was starting to glow with the promise of a new day. As the first rays of sunlight touched Nimbus, he felt a little warmer, a little lighter. He still felt a little sad about the setting sun game, and about Cumulus being away, but the sadness wasn't as big as before.

They watched the sunrise together, and as the colours painted the sky, Nimbus giggled. He even managed a small tumble and roll. He realized that even when sad, there were still beautiful things to see and appreciate.

Pip squeezed Nimbus’s fluffy side gently. "See, Nimbus? Sadness is a feeling, just like happiness or excitement. It's okay to feel sad sometimes. The important thing is to remember that it doesn't last forever, and that there are always ways to make ourselves feel better again."

From that day on, Nimbus learned that it's okay to feel sad. He learned that talking about his feelings, spending time with friends, and enjoying the beautiful things around him helped him feel better. He also learned that sadness, like a raindrop, eventually evaporates, leaving behind a fresh, clean feeling, ready for new adventures and new sunshine. And every time he felt a little low, he remembered Pip's words and knew he wasn't alone in his sadness, and that it would pass.