On rare occasions God smiles upon us and gives us something to admire and remember forever. Something simple and yet profound.

Something fleeting and everlasting at the same time.

I was a State Corrections Compound Major then. Around 2005. We were still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Moving many thousands of Department of Corrections convicts out of harms way. Providing food, shelter, medical care while dealing with the absolute insane barely trainable animals from the south of Louisiana.

I had just finished a really tough shift. I was covered in CS/CN and Capsaicin. Had just put down a prison riot, finished the shift reports, reviewed the staff's reports, and felt totally drained. 20 hours from the previous morning's roll call. Looking forward to three days off and hoping for no calls from the Warden's office about some piece of paper missing a detail about an inmate's missing legal work he used to start a fire in the cell block.

On arriving home I saw this wonderful sunrise. The camera was not the best I have used but was what I had. I did the job of taking pictures of destroyed state property, stabbings, suicides, and even an injury of an inmate who put his hand through a table saw in the hobby shop. Memories I would like to have deleted.

This is something only God can create.