Timing Is So Important

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Just a few moments earlier the pink outline around those clouds was very pronounced.  I walked swiftly to the office, retrieved the camera and stepped out on the front deck.  The contrast was mostly gone and only a bit of it remained.

The next day, neighbor, Bonnie, asked Sylvia, “Did you see that sunset?  It was outstanding!”  Sometimes seconds can make a huge difference.

Yesterday, I watched a documentary on the events of 9/11.  They told of people who ran errands on the way to work or were caught in traffic and didn’t get to work at the World Trade Center on time.  These were the ones who escaped the horror of that day.

Or as Maxwell Smart said, “Missed it by that much.”

It also reminds of the winter I saw the feral cat we called Corporal stalking some juncos feeding on the ground.  She slowly and stealthily sneaked along the path toward the birds.  There was a mound of snow just before she arrived at her target.  Corporal crept into place, twitched her butt a couple of times and then pounced.

As the cat leapt, the birds flew.  Corporal ended up with her face buried in snow and her paws on either side of her head.  The hunt wasn’t even close.

With snow-covered face, kitty gathered up her shredded dignity and strutted away.

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About Chuck

I am retired after a career in electronics and in publishing. Today, my wife of 50+ years, Sylvia, and I live in a house on a hill beside a dirt road in rural west Michigan. We enjoy living in this country environment where livestock and wild life out number the human population.

12 thoughts on “Timing Is So Important

  1. You show good examples of how missing it by that much can have different results, but never the ones we originally thought we wanted.

  2. Yep, that’s a gorgeous sunset. My prettiest sunset photo was taken in Michigan too. 🙂 :hkitty:

  3. If I walk slightly faster, I always miss the mushrooms staying besides my hiking trail.

    This is what we called life.

    :stars:

    • In auto racing it is said, “slow down and go faster.” It means if you are hurried you are not operating efficiently.

      It is better to slow down and in the sights, smells and sounds.

  4. You know kitty had planned that all along, right? 😉 I love how they have the ability to walk away like it was all planned.

    The photo is lovely. Now I am wondering how it could have been even better. Can’t imagine.

    Eerie stories about the survivors. I imagine they think of that often…and how blessed they were.

    • Kitty will not be denied her dignity.

      Imagine the pink outline being brighter and wider.

      I wonder if any of them are haunted by survivor’s guilt.

  5. It’s often that I remind myself not to fret about missed opportunities. The good part is that I know God always (as my university students used to say) “has my back.”

    Love the sunset picture!

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