Sweet Surprise

So I've been debating on whether or not to share this with you all, and I finally decided I liked the message enough it was worth sharing.  A few months back I happened across a contest on the local library's webpage for a travel photo/story.  The idea was to send in a photo with the accompanying story behind it, fewer than 200 words.  I thought back to when I had traveled (not much) and remembered a camping trip I'd had with my family, and a wonderful experience I'd had there.  I quickly typed something up, and sent it in with the picture, and to my surprise I was one of the winners!  Now a print of my photo is traveling around to the different local libraries, which is sweet :)  I don't think it's the best photo I've taken, but I like the message, so here you go!

Sunlight filtered through the tent walls onto my pillow, waking me from my short sleep.  I glanced at the sleeping members of my family, roused myself and pulled on my sweatshirt.  As I stepped out into the crisp morning air, the mosquitoes skirted around me looking for a place to land.  I began my walk with calming sounds around me: the occasional laugh of a child, the distant call of a bird.  I could see fishermen out on the lake already, trying their hand at catching ‘the big one.’  With my macro lens on, I searched for the perfect flower.  Finally I spotted it…a perfect pink thistle bloom, swaying atop its stalk.  It was large, still in seemingly pristine condition, but then I noticed the yellow spot.  Not wanting this blemish, I leaned close to blow it off, and the spider opened up, startled at the intrusion.  I realized then, that the spot I thought was a blemish was the highlight of my photo, and wondered how often life is like that: where the trouble spots we perceive turn out to be the most gratifying.  I walked on, ready to look at my life in a new light.