One seagull

 On a quiet, windswept beach, a lone seagull stood motionless on the soft, golden sand. The waves lapped gently at the shore, but the gull paid no mind to the rhythmic sounds of the sea. Its gaze was fixed on the horizon, where the sky melted into the endless blue of the ocean.


It fluffed its feathers, shook off the sand clinging to its wings, and planted its feet firmly in the warm grains below. For a moment, it hesitated not out of fear, but as if contemplating the wind, testing its strength and direction. The gull knew it couldn’t simply leap without intention; flight required precision, balance, and trust in the unseen forces that would carry it.


With a sudden burst of energy, the seagull stretched its wings wide, the sunlight catching on its white feathers. It took a few deliberate steps forward, leaving behind faint impressions in the sand as it launched into the air. The wind rose to meet it, lifting the gull higher and higher, until it was soaring effortlessly over the water, its path sure and steady.


On the ground, its footprints remained, a reminder of where it had been and of the power that comes from planting your feet firmly before taking flight.


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