Sunlit Whispers on the Balcony

I followed a streak of morning sunlight past the curtain and out toward the balcony door. The sill was warm under my shoes. Stepping carefully onto the wide wooden railing beside a terracotta planter, I paused to watch a dry seedpod resting in the soil. It was shaped like a tiny, crinkled lantern. Crouching low so the breeze wouldn't catch my hair, I reached out with both hands and gently loosened it from the dry earth, marveling at how light it felt before nestling it beside yesterday's leaf.