The Forest Breathes

Morning came soft and grey. It was time to go. The whole forest was steaming. The sun warmed the wet leaves, and mist rose into low clouds. The forest was breathing out. Polly shook the rain from her blue-teal wings and flew up for one last look.

From high up, she saw what the forest did. The mist was water from the leaves. It went up into the sky. Then it moved far away and fell as rain on other lands. The forest gives rain to far places.

Below her, the brown river ran on. It carried water the other way, to a far sea. Water above and water below. The trees and the river moved the same rain.

Polly flew east, toward the sea. The canopy became one soft green skin. Behind her, the Amazon kept making its own rain. She did not look back. Some places you carry with you.