Wrong Turn, Right Time
Isn't it funny how life unfolds when you're least expecting it? Just the other day, while out running the most mundane errands, I found myself caught up in a web of detours thanks to some road construction. Before I knew it, I was crossing the historic Narrows Bridge—an unplanned detour that seemed like a hassle at first.
On the other side, I took the first exit, aiming to find my way back. But then I came to a fork in the road. One way led me back home, and the other? Well, it led me to a park I didn’t even know existed: Narrows Bridge Park.
Something nudged me to go straight. And with a little extra time to spare, my camera within reach, I gave in to the urge to explore.
As soon as I stepped onto the pebbled beach, I felt a sense of calm settle over me. The sun, cloaked by soft, billowing clouds, cast a warm but gentle light. A salty breeze swept across the shoreline, and I marveled at the elegance of the herons gliding above me. The gnarled pine trees, their twisted forms standing like sentinels along the shore, drew me in with their quiet, mystical beauty.
After an hour or so of peaceful wandering, I stumbled upon a tree like no other. Tall and slender, it grew upward before making a sharp, almost whimsical, 90-degree bend—as if it was reaching longingly for the sea. How peculiar. I couldn’t resist; I began to frame my shot.
And just as I was narrowing in on the perfect composition, I noticed a man walking toward me from the distance—the first person I’d seen all day, even after nearly two hours of solitude.
As fate would have it, right as I clicked the shutter, the man stepped into my frame. He paused, turned, and glanced down at his phone. I blinked in disbelief. There he stood, the human version of that tree—bent at just the right angle, almost as if he had been placed there by some unseen hand. I managed to capture the moment—both man and tree frozen together in time.
When he reached me, I couldn’t help but stop him to show the image. We shared a good laugh at the sheer randomness of it all. I thanked him, though he had no idea what a gift he had just given me.
Driving home, I found myself overwhelmed with wonder. What if I hadn’t taken that wrong turn? What if I hadn’t chosen to explore? And what if his morning had unfolded just a little differently?
It’s as if something larger was at play, orchestrating this perfect little moment in time—bringing together the man, the tree, the clouds, the sea, the birds, the breeze, and me. And in that serendipity, I felt deeply grateful to have played my small part to capture the unseen hand.