A Small Victory

By Madan Shrestha

It was a quiet afternoon, the kind where the city hums a low, constant tune. I was just walking, not really looking for anything specific, just letting my eyes wander. The sun was getting low, casting long shadows, and the air had that slightly dusty smell of concrete and distant traffic. Then I saw it. This tiny stalk of foxtail, pushing its way through a gap in an old metal fence. It wasn't grand at all, but there was something so determined about it. I just stopped, watched it sway ever so slightly in a breeze I could barely feel. I waited for the light to catch it just right, for the cars to pass, for that perfect quiet moment. In all the hustle, in all the man-made structures, life always finds a way. It’s a gentle reminder that wildness isn't just in the mountains or forests; it's in every small corner, every persistent green sprout. It just asks us to slow down and notice.