You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on Earth.

Author Louise Erdrich is known for infusing the history and mythology of the Ojibwe people into her fiction. Her 2006 novel “The Painted Drum” centers on Faye Travers, a woman who steals an Ojibwe drum from an estate she’s appraising and decides to return it to the Ojibwe people. This quote from the novel reflects Faye’s personal journey as she contemplates the life she has lived and the life she wants for her daughters. Erdrich’s words are a gentle reminder that love, connection, and vulnerability are fundamental aspects of the human experience. In order to truly embrace all that life has to offer, we must open our hearts and take emotional risks, even if it means facing the pain and heartbreak of loss and betrayal.