River

A man stood next to a river bank. His heart heavy with sorrow and regret. He sighed deeply, the sigh of a man that has known loss, heartbreak, and the joy that came before those tragedies is now not but a memory.

He watched the river flow around and over the rocks in the river. An inexorable force that would continue to flow. As he watched the river, he started to think about the river and it's path. It started high up in the mountains and flowed down towards the ocean. Many obstacles stood in the path of the river. Solid walls of rock would try to dam its path, mountains and hills would twist it.

But the river could not be stopped.

In some places, it would cut a path through solid rock, running deep and swift. In others it would grow shallow, its waters warmed by the gentle kiss of the sun. It would bring great change, wearing away the stone and in rocks in its path in some places, and by bringing life to others. And today, in one place, it would take the cares and sorrow of a broken man and wash them out to sea.

The man turned from the river, walking just a little straighter, and went back to work.