Serendipity

Sometimes little special moments crop up at inconvenient times, when it doesn't fit our schedules to stop and enjoy them.  I had a situation like this last week.  I was running late to my car pool.  I needed to get my kids to the sitter and get going to work.  I had just gotten everyone herded out to the car when my youngest said, "Look, balloons!"

At that moment, I had a choice.  I could say, "That's-nice-now-get-in-the-car."  Some days I do.  This day, I ran back into the house and got a camera.  There were four hot air balloons that appeared to be landing at an airfield near our house.  I took a few moments to enjoy them with my kids and snapped some photos.  Then I stuffed the camera into my purse, and off we went.

Fast forward to the evening, when I finished work.  I work in the center of a large building.  Whether I am at my desk or in the cleanroom, I generally cannot see a window.  This day was not uncommon; I had worked 9 or 10 hours without stopping for breaks or lunch.  When I first step outside into the parking lot, it is such a release to see the outdoors again.  We have a beautiful campus (I really should take more breaks).  I often see some scene that just seems breathtakingly beautiful and think, I wish I had a camera.

Well, this time I did have a camera!  I took some photos of the way the light was slanting across a dry field and through a copse of trees.

If I hadn't stopped to enjoy the balloons with my kids, I wouldn't have had the camera to capture this scene after work.  Two happy moments for the price of one :)

Have you had any moments of serendipity?  I'd love to hear about it.