Beauty in *every* moment?

I used this photograph for my profile over at tjedonline.ning.com, and got the warmest compliment for it. The exact words were "that photo is breathtaking. Can we trade lives?" Which made me laugh very much out loud. Here's why:

It holds a lot of meaning for me, but probably not what you'd think! I took that up the canyon. We were up there for a star party. The nature center putting on the party encouraged everyone to bring a picnic dinner, then we'd all hang out while the sun set and look at some stars. It sounded so romantic.

Ahem. The *only* place to eat was on the asphalt, the same patch that the cars drove up on, or in a patch of rocky, desert mountain weeds. The sun was harsh and there was hardly any shade. Not romantic. But we managed; my family only grumbled slightly at me for insisting on this "adventure;" and the sun finally set. I took that picture amid the frustration.

The rest of the night was grand. Pitch black night, sky full of millions of stars. High- and low-tech telescopes at our disposal, fun and short lecture aimed at kids.

So, that picture symbolizes how appearances can be deceiving, and how we over-romanticize our expectations. But mostly, it symbolizes that there can be beauty in every moment.