A Gentle Bookmark

I walked over to the low wooden bookshelf where a small stack of children's sketchbooks sat resting in the morning quiet. A folded paper strip had slipped down between two covers, sticking out awkwardly past the wooden shelf edge. I knelt down and reached forward with both hands, gently pressing the loose corner until it slipped snugly into the crease of the spine. Smoothing down the edge against the dark grain, I paused to let everything sit in calm, tidy harmony.