The sun was dipping low, casting golden ripples across the quiet river. Amina liked to sit there at the end of each day, letting the water carry away her thoughts. It was her place of peace, away from noise and endless responsibilities.
One evening, she noticed a stranger standing a little further down, tossing pebbles into the river. He looked lost, not in direction, but in spirit. Curiosity tugged at her heart, so she asked, “What are you throwing away?”
He smiled faintly. “Regrets. I name each one before I let it go.”
For a while, they both sat in silence, watching the current carry away invisible burdens. Amina finally picked up a small stone, whispered something only the river could hear, and tossed it in.
That night, she walked home lighter, realizing the river wasn’t just a place to escape—it was a place to begin again. And she wasn’t alone anymore; the stranger by the river had left her with a new kind of peace: the reminder that everyone carries stones, but together, they’re easier to let go.
