“Indian wisdom says our lives are rivers. We are born somewhere small and quiet, and we move toward a place we cannot see, but only can imagine. Along our journey, people, and events flow to us, and we are created of everywhere and everyone we have passed. Each event, each person, changes us in some way. Even in times of drought we are still moving and growing, but it is during seasons of rain that we expand the most-when water flows from all directions, sweeping at terrifying speed, chasing against rocks, spilling over boundaries. These are painful times, but they enable us to carry burdens we could never have thought possible.” 

Lisa Wingate Tending Roses 2001 p.5