Komorebi (noun): the sunlight that filters through the trees

The golden rays peeked shyly through the curtain of branches and leaves, dappling the forest ground in patches of warm, cheerful light. It was the morning after a long night of rain, and the sky was determined to put the most breathtaking colors on display. All across the expanse of blue overhead were fluffy clouds, their bellies highlighted in light pink and shining with white light.

Quickly poking their heads out of the ground, several tiny seedlings stretched and reached and yearned for the soothing bath of sunlight. It would not be long before their small green stalks blossomed into the same petals as the vibrant red roses surrounding them.

A symphony of birdsong began to dance mellifluously in the crisp air, high-spirited and hopeful for the day to come. These adventurous explorers had finally returned from their winter migration, and soon, the forest would be bustling with their nests and eggs.

Everything was lively, except for the baby bunny.

Tucked in the quiet knots of a tree’s roots, the little brown fur ball was drenched from the rainwaters of the night, its figure unnervingly still. There was no gentle rise and fall of its chest, for its last breath had been taken while the sky was still dark.

Almost in a dream-like trance, the rest of the forest continued welcoming the dawn of the new day.