A Morning Seedling

I stepped quietly onto the sunny balcony floorboards this morning, greeted by the fresh, open breeze. Right beside the edge of a glazed ceramic planter, I discovered a fallen dried maple seed, its papery wing pale and intact, resting beside an upturned acorn shell. Kneeling down gently, I lifted the winged seed with both palms and eased its rounded pod snugly into the hollow cup of the acorn. The slender wing stood upright like a quiet, translucent propeller catching the golden morning light. Leaning both hands against the warm terracotta rim, I paused to admire how calm and steady our tiny green sprout looked.