The White River Stone & The Muddy Creek

When false whispers spread like muddy water at school, Clara wanted to fling mud back. Her mother dipped a white quartz river stone into water:

"When someone reaches into a muddy ditch to fling sludge at you, their own hands are covered in filth. The moment you scoop up mud to throw back, you aren't defending truth—you just have dirty hands in a ditch. Real grit is standing tall like this quartz stone. The water washes away, the sun dries the mud to dust, and the stone remains bright, pure, and unbroken. Let them have dirty hands. Keep yours clean."