When I first walked into our little horse barn yesterday morning, I noticed something weird. There was a neon circle about the size of a quarter glowing eerily on the end of the blue plastic feed scoop. Fortunately, it didn't require a congressional investigation to figure out. I didn't even have to Google it or take a picture and ask a friend. Through the dust and the cobwebs, I could see a tiny stream of light shining through a tiny hole in the corner of the barn. I'd just happened to walk in at just the right moment. Two minutes earlier or three minutes later and I would have missed it completely.

Regrettably, I didn't try to take a picture at that particular moment but I did call Randa over to have a look at it. By the time I'd run water for the horses, the angle of the sunshaft had changed and the spot barely showed up when I put the scoop back on top of the storage bin where it had been sitting before.

It's cliché to talk about missed moments and opted out opportunities. That seems especially true of potential photos with shifting light or spectacular events or amazing circumstances.

Thankfully, it's different when it comes to being nice to others, to speaking a word of encouragement, to offering a helping hand, choosing to forgive, or being kind to someone who has wronged us. I've found that such opportunities as these occur rather often if we are looking for them. Even if we happen to miss the perfect moment, there's a pretty strong likelihood that a few good moments will come along in short order.

I've also observed that deciding beforehand to take advantage helps us capture the moment. Keep your camera handy and your heart ready!

H. Arnett

3/2/2022