top of page
Writer's picturePaul Cotter

Disappointment into Delight (Part Two)


Two churches with steeples reflected in water, with a duck on a rock in the foreground in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

Quick flashback: in my previous post, I wrote about not being able to get the sunrise photo I’d planned and shooting a Zen-like boats photo instead. Now let’s fast forward a few minutes: shortly after I took the boats picture, I received a second unexpected gift.


I was taking photos of churches on the waterfront in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. Some of the shots turned out nicely, with the spires reflected in the water. And then serendipity smiled: a duck flew in and landed on a rock in the foreground, adding another level of interest and life to the scene.


To my surprise, my photogenic friend perched on that rock for at least 15 minutes, spreading his wings and giving me a large number of photos in different poses.


It was one of those moments when life reaches in, gives you a playful pinch on the cheek and says “You weren’t expecting this, were you?”


On a morning that started with disappointment – rising early but seeing no sunrise to photograph – I was reminded that even the most ordinary things, like a duck on a rock, are a gift that can surprise and delight us.




P.S. If you enjoyed this post, consider sharing it with a friend or posting to your social media account.

bottom of page