Morning Stretch on Granite

I walked from the convenience store corner down toward an open stone plaza as the morning started waking up. A smooth, pale granite bench sat near the flowerbed, perfectly flat and cool. I stepped up onto the lower ledge, planted both feet shoulder-width apart, and rested my hands on my hips to stretch. Beside me, a clean pinecone had rolled against the stone. I nudged it into place with my shoe to mark my spot, checked my posture, and completed three steady, focused squats. Starting the day with clean form felt refreshing.