"Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14

She had been searching and seeking the waters of serenity, of purification. She leaned over the edge of an aged fountain, peering into the aqua liquid that rested silent and still. Her reflection was clouded; it was not the clear reflection for which she yearned. She desperately splashed the water onto her face, hoping, pleading for a new image to appear once the ripples subdued. But the reflection remained; she was the same. This fountain was dead; it didn't flow with the refreshing and cleansing water that she needed.

She crumpled to the grass in despair, not knowing where else to look for the water that would nourish, fulfill, and transform her. She had traveled far and wide, seen everything from the fountain of youth to this forgotten monument which now stood before her, and still, she was unsatisfied. None of these waters flowed with the energy that she so desperately needed or the absolution that she so desperately desired. She looked at her hands; they were filthy from the dirt and grime of her journey. Her throat was parched and her lips were dry. She was thirsty, not having discovered the fountain she had set out to find.

How did she get here? How did she get so lost? She had started strong, with assurance, with determination, with Someone to help her along the way. But as distractions emerged and doubts surfaced, she had left her Guide behind. She had abandoned him on a dusty roadside, deciding to fend for herself.

Her loneliness consumed her.

At the base of the ancient fountain, she let her head fall to the ground, and she gave way to the overwhelming exhaustion. Sleep came fast, and the tears dried in salty streaks on her face. She dreamed of her thirst and the many miles she had traveled to quench it, only to fail in the end. She dreamed of her unwashed hands, of her murky reflection, of her unmet longing for purity. The darkness behind her eyes deepened as her regret rooted itself, destroying any chance for a new beginning. But then...

A rain drop.

The crisp, clean water fell on her lips. She heard a familiar voice through the hum of the steady rain. "Wake up. I'll give you a new beginning." Her eyes opened to see the face of the Guide she had long since abandoned. He reached down to help her to her feet. For the first time, she noticed the scars in his hands. Something told her these wounds were her doing. But his smile put her mind at rest. She surrendered herself to his warm embrace and to the revitalizing rain that poured around them. She was washed by the water. Her Guide's gentle words echoed through her ears: "I'm here with you, and I've never left you. I'll show you to the fountain of living water...if you would only follow me."