A Patient Neighbor

You asked if it was hard finding friends. While crossing the living room rug this evening, I noticed a tiny ladybug resting motionless on the textured corduroy skirt of the armchair. I paused, letting the room's gentle quiet settle around us before taking a step. Sitting down an inch away, I didn't reach out to disturb it. Instead, we simply shared the calm rhythm of the corner together. Every few moments, its tiny black antennae twitched in time with the faint hum of the floorboards. It felt very easy to just sit side by side in quiet understanding.