Tears

Tears are a river that takes you somewhere. Weeping creates a river around the boat that carries your soul-life. Tears lift your boat off the rocks, off dry ground, carrying it downriver to someplace new, someplace better. 

There are oceans of tears women have never cried, for they have been trained to carry mother's and father's secrets, men's secrets, society's secrets, and their own secrets, to the grave. A woman's crying has been considered quite dangerous, for it loosens the locks and bolts on the secrets she bears. But in truth, for the sake of a woman's wild soul, it is better to cry. For women, tears are the beginning of initiation into the Scar Clan, that timeless tribe of women of all colors, all nations, all languages, who down through the ages have lived through a great something, and yet who stood proud. - Clarissa Pinkola Estes in Women Who Run With the Wolves

These were the words I read when I opened up my book this morning and they touched me. I'm reminded of some others words that say God collects all our tears in a bottle. I wonder what happens to them. I like the idea of them carrying us, like a river, to a better place. It gives me hope.

Our lives are changing drastically. We recently withdrew our extension plans with MCC and will be moving back to the States in June. It has been a very difficult decision to make and we are in various stages of grieving, sorting, packing and saying "good bye". We are grateful for these past 2 1/2 years here in Bangladesh and will carry many good memories home with us. We would appreciate your prayers for us during this time and as we figure out the next step of our lives.