In the beginning, the Earth spoke.
The wind carried memory through trees older than empires.
Our fiery sun reminded us that transformation is both beautiful and risky.
The stones stood, grounded and still, carried the wisdom of time before time.
And water, ever flowing, taught that life is movement and change.
We gather today in this moment
from mountains streams and marshlands;
from inland cities and dry desert plains,
from industrial hubs along great lakes to small homes along a bubbling creek,
sharing our stories and our memories.
We honor the sacred flow found in water,
the streams that nourished our ancestors,
the rains that quenched thirst and longings,
the oceans that connected us in ways beyond borders.
Water is not just a symbol—it is life itself.
It teaches us that what we pour out matters,
and that what we return to the water must be cared for.
Water is sacred, not a resource.
We stand with the water protectors
who resisted at Standing Rock,
and we listen to the ancient wisdom of Turtle Island
as earth’s cry for justice whispers through every drop.
We honor those who come here today,
carrying hope by returning here to this space
and by extending our promise to move, together,
like a river toward the beloved community:
resilient, connected, and alive.
Rivers meet in confluences,
spaces where different waters flow together.
May this gathering be a confluence
of purpose, of communal healing, and of our commitment
to continue the work of love and liberation.