In these stories set in India, Africa, Burma and the United States, Gail Seneca introduces characters as diverse as a tribal boy in the jungles of Burma to a girl in the Bronx. Each of them must navigate the dangers of their environments, endure losses of family and innocence, and craft their own sense of meaning in a rapidly changing world. Whether on the banks of the Ganges River, a farm in Zimbabwe, or a casino in Atlantic City, these stories explore universal dilemmas. How can each of us survive the inevitable sufferings of our lives with dignity? How do we respond to injustice? Who are our counselors, our teachers, our allies? While each of the characters in this volume grapples with these questions in unique ways, all reveal aspects of the resourcefulness, the resilience and the fierce beauty of the human spirit.