A Drop of Dew

I walked through the stone porch and took the winding footpath toward the neighborhood greenhouse, seeking out the quiet humidity beneath its tall glass panels. Along the damp edge of a rounded stepping stone, a thick droplet of water had gathered right on the tip of a fallen jade leaf. Crouching low, I leaned in to study it closely. Trapped inside that tiny, trembling sphere was a microscopic reflection of the entire glass dome and the pale blue sky overhead. Moving with slow, patient precision, I touched the tip of my small booklet's corner to the leaf's rim just beside it, watching the crystal dome shiver in place without bursting.