A Soft Meditation

I set a thick, hand-knitted wool coaster upon the dark oak plank, smoothing its coiled yarn into a modest meditation mat. A disciplined guard must conclude the day with quiet reflection before sleep. I adjusted my sash and settled into a formal kneeling posture, resting both paws upon my lap. Yet the yarn was far deeper and softer than expected. My sandals sank into the plush weave, and my round belly gently tilted my balance backward until my back rested squarely against the worn leather spine of an atlas. I paused, exhaling the day’s fatigue into the quiet room. A warrior may permit himself an honorable lean when duty is done.