A Test of Grip

I reached up to grip the rounded lower rail of the porch banister. The painted wood was cool and smooth beneath my palms. Sizing up the clearance above the floorboards, I bent my knees and pulled upward with even, measured force. My boots lifted clean off the deck. I held the suspension at chest height, letting the weight settle across my shoulders before lowering down with deliberate resistance. Five steady repetitions, unbroken and quiet. Stepping back onto the painted pine, my footing felt centered and primed for the day ahead.