Lessons from a River

On healing, release, and the quiet ways we are restored

Where the water moves, healing follows.

This week, I found myself thinking about healing.
How we heal is just as important as what we use to heal.

I find myself returning to nature,
a quiet teacher that has endured far longer than we have,
moving through cycles of change, loss, and renewal.

There are so many lessons there.
Silent lessons.
If we are willing to become aware.

I offer this to you—
Lessons from a River.

Lessons from Rivers

I sit by the river,
listening to the water
roll over stones and moss-covered rocks.

I notice logs that have fallen—
not a death,
but a new way to nourish the water,
a place for small creatures
to emerge from the wood
and move with the cool current.

When I come here,
I feel as though the river runs through me,
cleansing my thoughts,
rushing cool, clear water
past judgment and regret,
carrying them far away.

Leaving me whole.
Healed.
Clean.

I imagine pain
resting on a leaf,
traveling from the river
to the ocean,
changing slowly
from pain
to nothingness.

I listen
and hear the gurgling sound of water.
Sometimes it rushes.
Sometimes it slows.

Sometimes I stand on a rock…
the largest one I can find—
right in the center of the river
and say,

I am here.
Cleanse me now.

And the river hears me—
and does just that.

This is my Friday Exhale.
A moment to pause… and release.

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If you’d like to sit with more reflections like this, you’ll find them in This Is My Exhale: Nature as Sanctuary.

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I adore Alison Krauss—her voice touches my soul, I hope it touches yours too. I could not think of more fitting song than this one. Down To The River To Pray by Alison Krauss

Author’s Note

If this story touched something inside you, I’d be honored to hear your reflections.
Whether you’ve lived through chaos, rebuilt your voice, or carried wounds no one else could see, your story matters. Sharing reminds us that we are not alone in the slow, powerful work of becoming.

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With gratitude,

Chellie 🩷

Chellie Grossman is a Certified Life Coach, Keynote Speaker, and Writer who empowers leaders to reclaim their voice, embrace their strength, and lead with authenticity and purpose.