Each week I lunch with a group of friends and discuss a topic. Last time the coordinator posed this question: What is the shape of your life? The answers included a rectangle, a vase, a cloud, and an octagon. Usually I wing it, but this time I wrote my response.

The Shape of My Life

I am a river,

Birthed in a puddle,

Nourished by rain,

Pushed to overflow

And grow broader

And deeper.

Springs and creeks fed my flow.

Widening waters gathered force,

Thrusting me against unyielding barriers

And cascading me over rocky falls.

Other streams joined my journey,

Enriching my waters,

Sharing my dreams,

Bringing me love and joy,

Allowing me to give.

Now levees restrict my passage,

Compelling my waters to slow

And grow shallow,

Directing me into the desert.

—Carolyn Mulford