Imagine that some atoms of water develop a consciousness, are "born" into material reality in a large reservoir. Everything is dark, and very still. And that consciousness says "I am this".

And then, someone opens a tap, and that consciousness starts to move through pipes. "Oh, look!" it exclaims, "I have motion!" And its awareness of Self has grown through motion.

In your house, it separates. Part goes into the refrigerator, and becomes aware of "cold". Then it forms a "body", as an ice cube. "Oooh! Look, I have a body". And that consciousness says "I am this".

Part goes into a teapot, and experiences "hot". It boils, and says "Oooh, look at all of this wonderful, exciting activity!!!" And then it is poured, a tea bag inserted, and it knows "color", and "flavor". And then sugar, and lemon are added, and it knows "sweet", and "tart". And that consciousness says "I am this".

And then the ice cubes are added, and more activity takes place between "hot" and "cold". Where they first thought of the other as "separate", as the ice melts and the tea cools, they discover they are the "same", the same "one" they were before they separated, and each shares with the other their experiences while separated. And that shared consciousness says "I am this".

And some go off to new experiences through your body, but some are poured down the drain, experiencing more motion, more darkness. And they merge with other "waste" waters, and they discover they are full of (something). "Oooh, Look, we are full of sh...".

And they proceed to a waste treatment plant, where they are aerated, and filled with oxygen, and bubble happily with that new experience. And that consciousness says "I am this".

And then they flow to a large lake, and learn they are part of this huge body of water. And that consciousness says "Wow!!! Iam this".

And the sun beats on the lake, and some of the water evaporates. "Wow!!!" it says, "Look at this, I am flying!!! I'm not just part of the lake at all, I'm not just a body of water at all, for Look!!! I am flying to the heavens!!!" And that consciousness says "I am this".

And then it becomes part of a cloud, and knows its beauty and majesty. And that consciousness says "I am this".

And then it condenses, and rains upon the earth, and experiences becoming a brook, a river, and flows to the vast and mighty ocean. Where it experiences such great depth, and breadth, and pressure, and so many, many things living within it, and flowing through it, and floating upon it. And it knows a great peace, and joy, and happiness, and Love. And that consciousness says "Wow!! I never dreamed I could be all of this, but now I know that I am this".

And then even that consciousness expands, and reaches other parts, who tell it "I was a flower, come hear of my wonderful experiences with color, and the earth, and the winds", and "I was a tree, come hear of my wonderful experiences with sunlight and birds and little boys climbing my branches".

And other parts share their experiences. "Wow!! One part exclaims, I was a human being. With such a varied life, with wonderful experiences and emotions and everything!!!".

And the parts decide to experience more, to go back. "I want to be a flower this time" the water part says. "I want to be water this time" the tree part says.

And they come back, again and again, for they have learned that they can be anything, any part that they want to be, whenever they want to be, for as long as they want to be. And that consciousness says "I am this".

And after a while, that consciousness grows more, and more, and more. And finally , that consciousness says "I AM".