My Canon EOS Rebel T3 has served me well for many years. Among it’s many accomplishments, it recorded a breathtaking trip through the Canadian Rockies and a dream trip to Scotland. It has also recorded many gatherings of friends and family, as well as a host of other trips. Perhaps it’s proudest accomplishment has been recording the many hikes my daughter and I have taken over the past year. Many of these photos have been used to stir my imagination when writing.

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The Last Photo

Last Wednesday, on a short 3.5 mile hike off the Blue Ridge Parkway, I slipped on a muddy trail and fell. I let go of the camera to protect my body, a move that was partially successful, resulting in bumps and bruises, but I was able to hike out with the aid of my walking stick. The camera was attached to a strap over my shoulder and when I released it, it fell between me and the rock I landed on. We both slid down the rock to the lower part of the trail.

The last photo taken with the camera is not a masterpiece. It’s a normal trail photo, shot because the curve of the trail and the fallen tree caught my imagination. Then again, perhaps that’s the point. A moment in time to be remembered. A time when we were both less bruised.