--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, you know how a river moves a…" description: "\"“Well, you know how a river moves a mountain.” The words surprised me at first, but I knew where they were coming from. “Stone by stone,” she finished...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/lisa-wingate-2771_quote_well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mounta_2107593.jpg" --- # Well, you know how a river moves a mountain.” The words… ![“Well, you know how a river moves a mountain.” The words surprised me at first, but I knew where they were coming from. “Stone by stone,” she finished.” quote by Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/lisa-wingate-2771_quote_well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mounta_2107593.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/lisa-wingate-2771_quote_well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mounta_2107593.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/lisa-wingate-2771_quote_well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mounta_2107593.jpg) > ““Well, you know how a river moves a mountain.” The words surprised me at first, but I knew where they were coming from. “Stone by stone,” she finished.”” [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Consistent effort, even small, can overcome massive obstacles over time. **In simple terms:** Small actions can move big problems. Key Takeaway Persist with steady effort. Themes perseverance determination growth Mood inspirational hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal projects - career challenges - environmental activism Key Concepts incremental change resilience mountain moving Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take today? - How do you stay motivated during setbacks? A Different Perspective Progress may be slow and requires patience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) ## Related quotes > [The world is a mountain, in which your words are echoed back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/the-world-is-a-mountain-in-which-your-words-are-echoed-back-to-you/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Each time I write, each time the authentic words break through, I am changed. The older order that I was collapses and dies. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-griffin/each-time-i-write-each-time-the-authentic-words-break-through-i-am/) [Susan Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-griffin/) > [He was struck dumb at the words though he should not be surprised; his wife kept him in a perpetual state of speechlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-maclean/he-was-struck-dumb-at-the-words-though-he-should-not-be-surprised-his/) [Sarah MacLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-maclean/) > [“man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones—and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-knight/man-who-moves-a-mountain-begins-by-carrying-away-small-stones-and/) [Phil Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-knight/) > [They, that unnamed they, they've knocked me down but I got up. I always get up -- and I swear when I went down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-corso/they-that-unnamed-they-they-ve-knocked-me-down-but-i-got-up-i-always/) [Gregory Corso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-corso/) > [The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-man-who-moves-a-mountain-begins-by-carrying-away-small-stones/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Oh,” he said. “I see.” But he did not see, exactly, though he believed that he could have been wrong and that she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/oh-he-said-i-see-but-he-did-not-see-exactly-though-he-believed-that/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [The river moves, but it follows a path. When it tires of one journey, it rubs through some rock to forge a new way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kekla-magoon/the-river-moves-but-it-follows-a-path-when-it-tires-of-one-journey-it/) [Kekla Magoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kekla-magoon/) > [Isn't it strange how life won't flow, like a river, but moves in jumps, as if it were held back by locks that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-desai/isn-t-it-strange-how-life-won-t-flow-like-a-river-but-moves-in-jumps/) [Anita Desai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-desai/) > [The river moves from land to water to land, in and out of organisms, reminding us what native peoples have never forgotten: that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-culbreath-noel/the-river-moves-from-land-to-water-to-land-in-and-out-of-organisms/) [Lynn Culbreath Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-culbreath-noel/) > [Anything you grab hold of on the bank breaks with the river's pressure. When you do things from your soul, the river itself moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coleman-barks/anything-you-grab-hold-of-on-the-bank-breaks-with-the-river-s/) [Coleman Barks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coleman-barks/) > [One of the unique things is that whether we were out at sea or in the middle of the water tank, a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/one-of-the-unique-things-is-that-whether-we-were-out-at-sea-or-in-the/) [John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/) > [“The river itself is not a hundred yards across, and pa and Vernon and Vardaman and Dewey Dell are the only things in sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-river-itself-is-not-a-hundred-yards-across-and-pa-and-vernon-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Somehow the river is louder when you cover your ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-williams/somehow-the-river-is-louder-when-you-cover-your-ears/) [Niall Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-williams/) > [The least unhappy persons do, in so fickle and so tempestuous a sea as this world, meet with many more either cross winds or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-boyle/the-least-unhappy-persons-do-in-so-fickle-and-so-tempestuous-a-sea-as/) [Robert Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-boyle/) ## More by Lisa Wingate > [“We knock on the door and wait”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/we-knock-on-the-door-and-wait/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“The secret to a happy life is not in getting what you want. It is in learning to want what you get. Don’t waste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/the-secret-to-a-happy-life-is-not-in-getting-what-you-want-it-is-in/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“I was not alone in the human condition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/i-was-not-alone-in-the-human-condition/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“Somewhere, deep within me, beyond the passion, beyond the beauty of the night, that little spark of Daily magic ignited in me again, began…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/somewhere-deep-within-me-beyond-the-passion-beyond-the-beauty-of-the/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“Generally, crises were Mom's domain. Dad's job was to listen, nod, act curmudgeonly, and offer to pay for things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/generally-crises-were-mom-s-domain-dad-s-job-was-to-listen-nod-act/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“...setting out together in a marriage is a lot like setting out on the river. Some parts will be rough; some will be smooth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/setting-out-together-in-a-marriage-is-a-lot-like-setting-out-on-the/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“I desire to live my life this way,... Not caged by the walls of fear, but in anticipation of the bridges to magnificence. Help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/i-desire-to-live-my-life-this-way-not-caged-by-the-walls-of-fear-but/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“It’s funny how what you’re used to seems like it’s right even if it’s bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/it-s-funny-how-what-you-re-used-to-seems-like-it-s-right-even-if-it-s/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“We are His children, each knit together as we should be. We must go by the name our Father has given us. Beloved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/we-are-his-children-each-knit-together-as-we-should-be-we-must-go-by/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“Joy, I realized, isn't so much a circumstance you find yourself in but a choice you make”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/joy-i-realized-isn-t-so-much-a-circumstance-you-find-yourself-in-but/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“Remember that, in any encounter, the only thing you can control is your own actions and reactions. You cannot dictate the actions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/remember-that-in-any-encounter-the-only-thing-you-can-control-is-your/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“How often ... do we pass by a need, a life that could be changed with the smallest bit of effort? And it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/how-often-do-we-pass-by-a-need-a-life-that-could-be-changed-with-the/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“Oh, child. The best thing is to know. I always tell ’em, best to be who you is. What you is deep down inside.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/oh-child-the-best-thing-is-to-know-i-always-tell-em-best-to-be-who/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“You are a God of winds and tides. Of journeys and storms and navigation by stars and faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/you-are-a-god-of-winds-and-tides-of-journeys-and-storms-and/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [“What the mind don’t ’member, the heart still know. Love, the strongest thang of all. Stronger than all the rest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/what-the-mind-don-t-member-the-heart-still-know-love-the-strongest/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) [Explore all 148 Lisa Wingate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) ## More River quotes > [The least unhappy persons do, in so fickle and so tempestuous a sea as this world, meet with many more either cross winds or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-boyle/the-least-unhappy-persons-do-in-so-fickle-and-so-tempestuous-a-sea-as/) [Robert Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-boyle/) > [Somehow the river is louder when you cover your ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-williams/somehow-the-river-is-louder-when-you-cover-your-ears/) [Niall Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-williams/) > [“The river itself is not a hundred yards across, and pa and Vernon and Vardaman and Dewey Dell are the only things in sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-river-itself-is-not-a-hundred-yards-across-and-pa-and-vernon-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [One of the unique things is that whether we were out at sea or in the middle of the water tank, a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/one-of-the-unique-things-is-that-whether-we-were-out-at-sea-or-in-the/) [John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/) > [“It’s a big ocean crossed by busy ships. I went slowly, observing much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/it-s-a-big-ocean-crossed-by-busy-ships-i-went-slowly-observing-much/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [Life is like the ocean. It can be calm and still or rough and rigid but in the end, it is always beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-the-ocean-it-can-be-calm-and-still-or-rough-and-rigid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always like to look for adventure when I go away. I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife - from Guangxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-always-like-to-look-for-adventure-when-i-go-away-i-have-gone-on/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [I've never been far from the river. I'm sort of like a Thames-nymph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-dormer/i-ve-never-been-far-from-the-river-i-m-sort-of-like-a-thames-nymph/) [Natalie Dormer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-dormer/) > [“Mungu akikubariki kipaji chako watu watasema ni laana. Maisha yako ni sawa na mto. Unakoelekea ni baharini. Lakini sasa umefika kwenye mlango wa bahari.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/mungu-akikubariki-kipaji-chako-watu-watasema-ni-laana-maisha-yako-ni/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/ships-at-a-distance-have-every-man-s-wish-on-board-for-some-they-come/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [The tides which flow and lapse in the Bristol Channel are often distained by the freshets of many streams falling through wooded coombes below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-williamson/the-tides-which-flow-and-lapse-in-the-bristol-channel-are-often/) [Henry Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-williamson/) > [If you ask an actor what he'd prefer to act on, he'd probably say a tangible, real set, or even better, a real location…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/if-you-ask-an-actor-what-he-d-prefer-to-act-on-he-d-probably-say-a/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [In the road ships must ride in 30, 40, or 50 fathom water, not above half a mile from the shore at farthest: and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-dampier/in-the-road-ships-must-ride-in-30-40-or-50-fathom-water-not-above/) [William Dampier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-dampier/) > [I finished 'Hell or High Water' and started writing 'Wind River' literally the next day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/i-finished-hell-or-high-water-and-started-writing-wind-river/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) [Browse all 3,638 River quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Well, you know how a river moves a mountain.” The words surprised me at first, but I knew where they were coming from. “Stone by stone,” she finished.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lisa Wingate" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mountain-the-words-surprised-me-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "River" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mountain-the-words-surprised-me-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/lisa-wingate-2771_quote_well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mounta_2107593.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/lisa-wingate-2771_quote_well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mounta_2107593.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/lisa-wingate-2771_quote_well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mounta_2107593.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Well, you know how a river moves a mountain.” The words surprised me at first, but I knew where they were…” — Lisa Wingate", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lisa Wingate", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Well, you know how a river...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mountain-the-words-surprised-me-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/well-you-know-how-a-river-moves-a-mountain-the-words-surprised-me-at/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```