The Pond

The pond was a lovely place to sit and stare at the wildlife.  In the summer she would spend many long hours perched on the warm stones surrounding the edge, gazing deep into the cool, clear water.  Through the various plants, she watched the many fish, frogs and insects enjoying a life of leisure.  She wished she could join them and spend the rest of the summer weaving her way in and out of the plants, taking life as it came, rather than rushing around like a mad thing.
  She watched a frog surface after spending several minutes submerged.  It looked at her with one eye, and croaked.
  Smiling to herself, she leaned closer, touching the tip of its nose.  With little more than a 'plop', the frog disappeared beneath the surface and hid among the leaves of a water-lily.
  Time passed slowly.  It always did while she sat still at the pond's edge.  She never minded; it was a way of forgetting the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
  She would come and sit down here, and forget about the rushing about she had to do.  Why was life such a busy time?  Why did everyone have to tear about as though there was no tomorrow?  Everyone she had met today, was in such a hurry, as they were every day.  Here, there and everywhere, they went; not stopping to think about the life they could have if they just paused a minute, like her, to gaze absently into the clear pond.
  She peered through the water trying to see the frog she had touched.
  A large fish swam past so slowly and gracefully, it invited her to sigh and let her eyes droop.  What a lovely warm day.  Too bad she had to get on.  She had spent enough time sitting here today; there were a thousand things she had to do, none of which was getting done while she was perched on the edge of this nice warm stone.
  Ah, well, she thought.  Time to go.
  Adjusting the spiral shell on her back, she crawled off, leaving behind her the familiar trail of silver slime.
 
  The End