The Winged Seed

I slipped through the slightly open garden door and stepped out onto the wide, weathered planks of the front porch. The outdoor air felt cool and brisk across my arms. Resting beside the curved base of a terracotta pot, I noticed a dried maple seed with a thin, paper-like wing. I lifted it by its firm seed pod, carried it carefully to the edge of the top step, and extended my arm over the gravel below. When I opened my fingers, it didn't drop straight down; it caught the moving air and spiraled in a slow, steady whirl until settling on a flat pebble.