Searching For- Sunflower In- -

And then—there. Not at the front, not tall and proud. Half-hidden behind a broken fence post, leaning as if tired of waiting. One last sunflower. Its petals are frayed, its center a deep, wine-stained ring. But it is still yellow. Still turning toward the pale afternoon sun.

Searching for sunflower in— A season past its prime. A year you thought you’d lost. The quiet place inside you that never stopped believing in brightness. Searching for- sunflower in-

…a field that once blazed gold, now gone to seed and silence. And then—there

Searching for sunflower in late autumn is an act of stubborn hope. The stalks stand like skeletons, leaves curled into fists. The birds have long since taken their fill. Still, you move forward, brushing dry husks from your sleeves, listening to the rattle of the wind through empty centers. One last sunflower