Sitting at my desk just a few moments ago I looked up to see what you see in the picture above: the banking of the morning sun’s rays off the wall of the apartment building across the street in through the library window to be projected onto the wall above my desk. Then, at that very moment and as if on queue something floated into that light and just hung there.
It took me a heartbeat to realize I was being mezmerized by the silhouette of a hovering hummingbird, its profile beautifully backlighted in perfect silhouette. I could clearly make out its delicate beak and the fullness of its chest tapering back to the point of its tail. The wings moved at a speed too fast to be turned into shadow.
It took me another 10 heartbeats to grab my camera and turn it on and aim it at the miraculous little silent movie unspooling before me. Unfortunately I was one heartbeat too slow. The little creature zipped out of frame and was gone the moment before I released the shutter, leaving me only with what you see above. That, and a sense of righteous and thankful awe at being gifted with such an ephemeral moment of beauty.
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