Now, having descended into the wide, flat valley, it had reached its middle course—the age of maturity.

A young boy, Silas's grandson Leo, sat beside him. Leo was full of the restless, bubbling energy of a mountain stream. He threw a stick into the water and frowned when it didn’t instantly zoom away. "Why is it so slow here, Grandpa? Up by the old mill hills, the water flies!"

"You're not in such a hurry anymore, are you?" Silas murmured, casting his line into a deep, quiet pool formed by a sharp bend.

Leo nodded, finally understanding. He leaned back against the roots of a bowing willow tree and watched the mature river roll patiently toward the distant, waiting sea. Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story

Silas smiled, his eyes reflecting the calm, glassy surface of the water. "That's because the river is grown up here, Leo. When it was up in the mountains, it was young and impatient. It wanted to get to the sea as fast as it could, so it fought everything in its way. It didn't have time to carry anything or help anyone." "And now?" Leo asked.

Leo looked at the water. He watched a massive, slow-moving eddy gently spin a fallen leaf before sending it on its way down the meander. It didn't look weak; it looked immensely powerful, like a giant taking a slow, steady stride.

It had grown broad and deep, its waters moving with a deliberate, heavy grace. No longer did it try to smash through the earth. Instead, it had learned the art of compromise, gracefully winding and meandering across the landscape in vast, sweeping loops. It carved gentle U-shaped valleys and deposited rich, golden silt along its widening floodplains.