The storm came on slowly. First, the first snow was fine, and the sun was still shining through some of the clouds. I love photographing this apple tree, and I meant to catch it in the snow.

But suddenly there was no snow, and it seemed that the sun burst through a hole in the sky and when I took this photo, I knew I had gone to the aperture setting and changed the exposure, but I didn’t see this light until I looked at the picture on my computer.

I wish I knew what I did, but I don’t; photography is like that, and I remember standing in front of the tree – I was low this afternoon, and I thought about the many long nights I find myself brooding about the anger and conflict in the world and my own failings and mistakes.

I sometimes wonder if human beings will find a way to destroy it with greed and cruelty.

But out there in the cold, and very soon, there was the snow I could see coming, I felt that the center of me lies far beyond the human need to hurt others or ourselves, and my heart lifted, and I felt the warmth of the light.

At these times, I rise about the frailties and imperfections of humans. Life is so much more than that. I believe in the light; it comes when I let it.

There is a place within where we are free from fear and free to forgive and love and hope. That’s what I felt looking at the tree, and somehow, that’s what the camera saw.

Could it be that the angels had come down to sing to me?