Maren walks along the sun-dappled path, her white capelet-collar blouse catching the breeze. She tilts her face upward and lets out a long, slow breath as leaves rustle overhead. The bench ahead beckons, and she quickens her steps.
She reaches for the bench but finds a group of pigeons claiming every slat. Maren waits, tapping her foot against the gravel. When the last pigeon launches into the air with a satisfied coo, she plops down with a sigh of relief.
A paper airplane spirals down from nowhere and lands squarely in her lap. Maren picks it up and unfolds it — someone's written 'look up' on the front. She follows the arrow drawn underneath and spots a squirrel perched on a low branch, holding something glittering.
Maren unfolds the paper airplane in her hands and reads 'look up.' She traces the arrow with her finger, then follows it with her gaze. High above, a squirrel on a low branch holds something glittering in its paws.
The squirrel drops its treasure at her feet: a smooth river stone that catches the sunlight and throws rainbow sparks across the path. Maren bends to pick it up, feeling its cool, polished surface.
Maren bends to pick it up, feeling its cool, polished surface. The park seems to hold its breath, and she doesn't move. Rainbow light dances across the gravel at her feet.
Maren sits back on the bench, the river stone resting in her palm. She breathes in the warm grass scent and smiles — the world is still, and it is exactly enough.
She breathes in the warm grass scent and smiles — the world is still, and it is exactly enough.