A Soft Beat Inside

The room was quiet this morning. I felt a gentle warmth stir within my chest, right beneath the little red plush heart I was holding. Slowly, I lifted my small paws and gave the heart a tender squeeze. It yielded softly, pressing against the patterned rug beneath me. I held very still, letting my long floppy ears steady in the calm air, quietly realizing that I could breathe, feel, and choose to stay right here.