A Solid Stride

The quiet noon air settled around me, steady and slow. I stood on this blue lined surface, feeling the weight in my shoes. Everything felt stiff until I took a slow breath and loosened my right grip, rolling the small prop in my fingers. Then, deliberate and calm, I lifted my left boot and placed it forward against the printed grid. My footing was solid. I tapped the blue surface once with my toe, satisfied with the ground beneath me.