The river of healing

In a busy, bustling river, there lived a young fish named Lily. Lily loved to explore the river’s clear waters, swimming through the plants and rocks, watching the world around her. But lately, everything had started to feel too overwhelming.

The river was always crowded with other fish, constantly swimming by, talking, and arguing. It felt like there was no peace, no quiet space to think, or just to be alone. Lily couldn’t escape the noise; no matter where she swam, it followed her. She felt trapped in the chaos, unable to find any rest.

One day, after feeling completely worn out and stressed, Lily decided to swim away. She needed a place where she could be calm and find peace. As she swam farther into the river, she found an old, wise turtle named Tessa. Tessa had lived in the water for many years, and no matter what was going on, she always seemed so calm and composed.

Lily swam up to Tessa, feeling both exhausted and lost. “Tessa,” Lily said, “I don’t know what to do. The river used to feel like home, but now it’s too loud. I can’t find a moment of peace. No matter where I go, I’m surrounded by noise. How am I supposed to heal when everything around me feels so chaotic?”

Tessa looked at Lily with kind eyes. “Lily, sometimes the world around you can make it harder to heal. No matter how much you try to fix yourself, if the place you live in is full of noise and stress, it’s hard to find peace. Sometimes, you need to leave the chaos and find a quieter place—a place where you can breathe and think clearly.”

Lily hesitated. She loved the river, but it had become overwhelming. “But how can I leave?” Lily asked quietly. “How can I leave when everything I know is here? The fish I love, the place I’ve always known, how can I just leave all that behind?”

Tessa smiled gently, understanding the pain in Lily’s heart. “Leaving doesn’t mean you don’t care, Lily. You don’t have to leave everything behind. But sometimes, to heal, you need space to think and grow. Healing isn’t just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about finding a place where you can rest, where you can be yourself. You can always return when you’re ready, but you need to create the space you need to heal first.”

Lily thought about this for a long time. She didn’t want to leave everything behind, but she realized that if she stayed, the noise would never stop. If she didn’t take the time to heal, she’d never find peace.

The next day, with a heavy heart, Lily made the decision. She swam farther than she had ever swum before, leaving the busy parts of the river behind. She found a quiet pond far away, where the water was still and calm. The silence was strange at first, but it felt peaceful, comforting. Here, the only sounds were the soft flow of water and the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze. Lily could finally breathe.

As the days passed, Lily felt the weight that had been on her chest begin to lift. She could think clearly, rest, and heal. She spent time in the quiet pond, letting herself heal at her own pace, without the constant pressure of the noisy river.

But after a while, Lily knew she had to go back. The river was where she was from, and she missed the fish she loved. When she returned, everything looked the same. The water still rushed around her, the voices of the other fish filled the air, and the river was as busy as it had ever been. Lily thought that maybe this time it would be different. Maybe she could be strong enough to handle it. But soon, the same feelings of chaos and overwhelm came flooding back.

Even though the fish she loved were here, the noise, the rushing, the pressure…..it was all still too much. Lily felt the same weight pressing down on her chest, the same sense of being trapped in the noise. It wasn’t the river itself that had changed; it was her. She had healed in the pond, but coming back to the same place, the same noise, made it impossible to feel the peace she had found before.

Lily realized something important: no matter how much love and familiarity the river held, she couldn’t heal in the same environment that had once made her feel so small. Healing wasn’t just about escaping temporarily…..it was about finding a space where she could truly feel safe and at peace. And sometimes, that meant leaving the old place behind, no matter how much love or comfort it held.

She knew now that she needed to make a bigger change. She had to find a place where she could stay, a place that would help her grow and heal for good. The love she had for her home would always be there, but her true healing needed something different…..something more peaceful, something that would allow her to be herself without the noise of the world pulling her down.

Lily knew it wasn’t easy, but sometimes, you have to step away from what’s familiar to truly find peace. And when you’re ready, you can find a place where healing never stops, a place where you can grow in your own time, without the weight of the world constantly holding you back.