This photo shows an orange bush in front of my house after a battering downpour. Because of the unusually rainy season, including several instances of hail, some of our smaller bushes and shrubs have suffered in health, but this particular orange bush has thrived. I was struck by the overlapping positions of the leaves-- how they seemed to be working together to shield each other from damage and lessen the bruising effect of the downpour. It made me think of necessity of participation. Life is a journey that can be overwhelming if traveled alone. But when you participate with others, you can hold each other up and allow all of you to weather the storm.