A Piece of Rainbow Blooming in a Gray Landscape

 At the edge of the city, beneath a big tree, time slowed.The leaves whispered, "It's okay to stop.You're okay just as you are."

At the end of the trail,

in front of a tree that someone else might have passed 

without a second glance,

I stood still for a while.

Its green leaves blocked the sky,

and the tree, standing with its back to the city,

offered deep comfort without saying a word.

Unlike the forest of apartments stretched out in the distance,

this tree had quietly held its ground alone.

Even without attention,

it sprouts leaves every year,

offers shade,

and is beautiful simply by existing.

Every time the wind rustled the leaves, they seemed to whisper:

"It's okay to stop now.

It's okay to move slowly."

Those words felt deeply comforting.

The people I walked with stopped as well.

Some took photos,

others simply stood in the shade.

No one spoke,

but perhaps we all felt the same.

Time in front of this tree

was unlike the rush of daily life.

It slowed things down,

made me reflect inwardly.

Maybe what we truly needed

wasn't grand plans or stunning views.

Maybe we just needed

to rest in the quiet shade of something that has endured.

Sometimes, we need a day like this.

Just under a big tree,

laying down the noise of the world for a while,

and speaking to ourselves again.