"Sounds like you've spent a lot of time being the protector. That's a lot to take on your shoulders," he reflected. "And sometimes you can only take so much."
There was something about that statement that encouraged a little bit of a smile. "All roads lead to Rome." The saying seemed to have the right sentiment for what she was trying to say. "I once heard that we are the combined effort of everyone we know, all through our lives. Intersecting paths, rubbing off on the people we meet and vice versa."