i come downstairs and find steve has sent me an autumn leaf from ithaca. “i hope it survives the journey,” he wrote. instantly i felt like clara oswald blowing into the world on the most important leaf in the universe. the paper triptych unfolded to reveal a brittle leaf of burnt cinnamon, badly cracked in several places, yet still holding its lobed outline together, just barely, so that i could lift it intact by the stalk ever so slightly and touch my lips to it. then, i put it back down, and as i sat smiling at it, it crackled and the lobes crumbled.

but what a marvel: for this fragile thing to have come so far, padded in nothing but light card stock and a promise. and quiet gratitude too, to have had that one perfect moment alone with it, and to have lifted it and looked upon it whole.

leaf of liriodendron tulipifera (american tulip poplar)
ithaca, ny, december 2015
gift from mr stephen paisley