Night pond. Big white bear, mid-leap. Paws out. Ears back. A green frog hops along beside him, keeping pace. Lily pads float in rows, round and steady. The sky above is deep purple, full of small stars. Clouds glow at the edges, pink and soft. The bear is smiling. Eyes shut. Trusting the pads. I used to jump like that. Across creeks, across puddles, across the gaps between what I knew and what came next. You don't look down. You just go. The water is blue and bright and a little bit magic. The frog doesn't seem worried. Maybe he knows the pads hold. Maybe he knows the bear always lands. Some journeys need one big jump and a small friend. That's the whole recipe. Night. Pads. Leap. The pads are painted one shade lighter at the rims, like little green plates. Stars, then more stars. Some bright, some shy. The bear's belly is round and white and absolutely unafraid. Trust looks like this. Arms open. No plan B. The frog waves, I think. Or maybe that's just how frogs stand. Either way, he's in. Friends who jump with you are the whole point. #bear #lilypads #nightpond #leap
