A Single Drop Invites a Deep Breath of the Heart

After lunch while working from home
once the dishes are done
it is time for the long-awaited coffee break

While waiting for the water to boil
I happened to glance at the sink
and saw water dripping from the faucet

I let go of the smartphone I was holding
and decided to observe it closely

◇

Drip by drip at five-second intervals

At the tip of the faucet
it gathers and gathers
until it can no longer bear the weight

Slowly, with a plop
it forms into a single drop and falls

Gradually the pace of falling slows down
holding on for a long time before finally letting go

A slightly elongated drop forms
and after ten seconds, finally, one slow drop falls

◇

While staring intently at that scene
I realized that I had
unconsciously stopped breathing

Ah

Since when
have I been living
with such bated breath?

Perhaps I was projecting my own struggles
onto that drop that wouldn't fall
and feeling anxious on its behalf

You don't have to try to carry everything perfectly
when it gets too heavy, it's okay to let it spill

It gathers and it falls
that is all there is to it

I exhale the breath I had been holding
and begin to prepare to pour the coffee

The continuously dripping water
and the quiet kitchen

just as they are in that moment
it is enough for them to simply be there