A river has always had signifigance as a metaphor for life: water constantly moving, having both a beginning point and a destination; when we say still waters run deep, we are describing our inner movement, and our own 'deepness'. Rivers, especially the confluence of two or more rivers, have always been the starting points for societies,civilizations, all the way back to the Tigris and Euphrates. And an afternoon spent on a riverbank, just watching the water flow by, is a peaceful, pleasant afternoon.
I've always liked this picture; I took it back in 2001 when on a trip with my Lithuanian friends. As I've mentioned elsewhere, Lithuania is flat, and my friends had never seen a waterfall before coming to America. So, when we had a day off, we would go exploring, and found many beautiful memories for them to take back with them. Some of us bought digital cameras that Summer, and when each of them returned home, they carried our photos on cds, and I hope they pull them out from time to time and remember the great Summer we shared. Like a river, we've all moved on, and no longer keep in touch, but we will always remain friends who shared great times.