A Breeze and a Sprout

I pushed open the heavy sliding screen door just wide enough to squeeze through into the morning air. Out here on the balcony, a gentle breeze ruffled against my ears, carrying fresh outdoor scents from the neighborhood below. Resting against the corner railing was a round terracotta flowerpot filled with dark, crumbly soil. I walked over quietly and peered over the edge. Right in the center, a tiny green shoot had just pushed through the surface. Leaning in close, I held my plush paws softly around the warm ceramic rim, making sure not to cast too much shadow over the little sprout as it bathed in the morning light.