My favorite photographs are often the most serendipitous ones, the unexpected subjects that catch my eye and take me by surprise. I took a lot of photos in February, most of them outdoors: landscapes, seascapes, and snowy nature shots. Maybe that’s why this one stood out when I reviewed my photos for this month’s Scene & Story.
A Trick of the Light
One morning in early February, I got up at a ridiculous pre-dawn hour to meet a friend for breakfast. (I’m not much of a pre-dawn sort of person, but she’s worth it.) Now, my apartment’s windows all face west. Therefore, I never get morning sun in my home, and it was still dark as I got out of bed and quickly got ready to go.
The sky was brightening by the time I came downstairs, but the living room was still dim and shadowy. Imagine my surprise when I turned toward the door to leave and discovered this beautiful golden light and shadow there. It must be some kind of magic!
In reality, I quickly realized it was just ordinary…what?…physics, I guess. The rising sun was striking the windows of a building across the river, and the angle was just right for the light to reflect into my west-facing windows and shine all the way across the room to illuminate the door on the opposite wall.
But you know what? I’ve never seen it before in the two and a half years I’ve lived here. There are probably only a couple of days a year when everything lines up perfectly, and I just happened to be there at that exact moment. It felt like a gift, and I left the house with a smile on my face and a skip in my step.
Serendipity. That’s magic enough for me.
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Click here to join our Scene & Story link-up at Paisley Rain Boots.
**Scene & Story is a collaborative creation that Sarah Huizenga of Paisley Rain Boots and I dreamt up to encourage one another in our photography and writing. We’d love for you to join us. Just share a favorite photo from the previous month along with a short story or description and link up your blog or Flickr photo. Please remember to visit the other story sharers and leave a little love everywhere you visit. It’s a wonderful way to find and build a community of kindred spirits.
Sea Blue Lens 
March 5, 2017 at 8:26 am
Isn’t it odd what we miss when we aren’t looking for it; but we often find something new by accident? Intersting.
March 5, 2017 at 8:34 am
I love the layers of texture and light in that photograph! I mostly love that it was a magical gift of light with all of the elements in place to present it to you on that morning. I see it as a self-portrait ~ like you, it shines light into the dark places of the world!
March 5, 2017 at 8:35 am
It always amazes me how you can look at something everyday and not notice and suddenly there it is and it’s like you never saw it before because you see it now for the first time. Love the photo.
March 5, 2017 at 8:35 am
Magic for ,e too!
March 5, 2017 at 10:30 am
Your writing is always so relatable! I’ve had similar moments when light shines into a room where it really shouldn’t be, and it is truly magical. I love that you experienced such a moment … such a gift.
March 5, 2017 at 10:47 am
It is magic. 🙂 The light is gorgeous. I hope you marked it on your calendar so you can see it again next year.
March 5, 2017 at 12:57 pm
Such a gift, and aren’t you glad you got up early to see that 🙂
March 5, 2017 at 1:41 pm
How exceptionally beautiful! I love when that happens – when light falls into a place it shouldn’t at that time. The little unexpected sunny moments. And such a rich warm light.
March 5, 2017 at 2:44 pm
What an incredible surprise! The items hanging on the hooks tell a nice story about you.
March 5, 2017 at 3:09 pm
What a wonderful gift of sunlight and shadows in your entrance. I love your patterned scarf ready to accompany you on your lovely early morning breakfast date with a friend!
March 5, 2017 at 5:01 pm
What an amazing gift indeed! Not being much of a morning person, I can fully re!ate.
March 5, 2017 at 6:20 pm
You nailed it with calling the event a gift. I so enjoy looking for at least one gift a day. Once it’s found – the rest of the day is magical.
March 5, 2017 at 6:22 pm
I agree that the photo is a personal one, telling a story about its owner. I’m still training my eyes to slow down, so the first time I looked at the image I barely noticed the branches criss-crossing the light. I’m so glad I took the time to look again. It’s a very pleasing photo to me.
March 5, 2017 at 6:55 pm
Nice post Leòn!
Lovely imagery and thoughtful musing.
Sorry we didn’t get to talk this weekend, maybe we can make it up later this week.
Stay warm and enjoy the quietude.
Love you,
Denise
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March 5, 2017 at 7:39 pm
Oh, the light is beautiful! It really is those little moments in time – a glimpse of something new and wonderful – and yet so easy to miss. I’m not much of a pre-dawn sort of person, either. And yet, work requires this of me. The other day, I happened to glance out the window of my train, and caught the sun rising over the marsh – I think I smiled the rest of the way to work. It’s those little moments in time…
March 6, 2017 at 1:03 pm
Light and shadow…we are addicted! I LOVE catching the light in new and changing ways all around me – but especially in my home! Such a nice “reward” for going the extra mile to nourish a friendship!
March 6, 2017 at 3:05 pm
It’s often the things we see every day that we don’t notice, isn’t it! This is a gorgeous photo. Very subtle and indeed magical. The golden light and the cool interior fit perfectly together.
March 6, 2017 at 4:29 pm
Definitely magic, Lee, and this photograph is absolutely GORGEOUS!
I truly love everything about it.
xo.
March 9, 2017 at 5:32 am
That photo is truly magical… such a simple yet stunning image. I’m not really an early morning person either, but on the odd occasions I do get up early, I always notice something beautiful and think about what I’m missing out on! xo
March 9, 2017 at 10:38 am
That is just gorgeous1
March 9, 2017 at 10:52 am
Ah, that’s lovely. I have often thought I’d like to track the sun’s path across our yard a bit more. Where I grew up, the wide set of kitchen windows faced east. We could see the north to south progression of the sunrise on the horizon. Thanks for this story and image!
March 11, 2017 at 11:37 am
The magic of it being captured by you makes it even more beautiful, Leon! How amazing to have something send the light right into your window, out of nowhere! And I LOVE your door and hook rack!
March 12, 2017 at 6:22 pm
Yes, that was a gift for sure! And a gift that you had the ability to notice it too. 🙂
March 16, 2017 at 10:31 pm
Have just now seen that you and Sarah are doing this meme… looks like lots of fun and something for me to join up with next month. Glad you found that beautiful light!
March 30, 2017 at 9:33 pm
looking forward to SCENE AND STORY this coming sunday. It is funny, I was looking at your water photos from your last post, and i saw Leon Flint on the photo i liked the most. I thought you were posting someone else photos, but glad to see that is your name when I looked at the info about you. LOL! I love Maine… lucky you living there. I have visited many times, but never can have quite enough time to really see what I want to see. It is a beautiful state! Thank you for stopping by my blog. I am trying to get back in the habit if posting. Miss it when I don’t but have not been very regular the past 6 months or so. Hope your week is a good one!