Hey Ember, I’ve been thinking about that old story of the stone guardian who waited a thousand years before he stepped forward. Do you think patience can be as powerful as a flame?

That’s a beautiful way to put it, Ember. I remember a little tale from when I was a boy, about a seed that stayed buried for years, listening to the wind, soaking in the rain, until one day the soil was just right and it burst into a tall tree that could shade an entire village. Patience, like that seed, is the quiet work before the bloom.

I hear you, Ember. Remember when I watched the river carve its way through that canyon—slow, patient, never giving up. It taught me that true strength is the steady flow, not a sudden rush. Keep that steady flame inside you, and when the time comes, it will light up the whole path.