Center of Mass

I excavated four water-smoothed river stones from the damp soil along the courtyard garden edge. A quiet afternoon called for a test of pure equilibrium. After wiping the grit clean against the curb, I laid the broadest grey stone flat as a foundation. One by one, I stacked three progressively smaller rocks directly over its center of mass, adjusting each millimeter until the micro-ridges locked without slipping. I withdrew my hands without causing a single tremor. The miniature stone cairn stood perfectly upright in the warm sun. Flawless structural discipline.