I was on a business trip to Charleston, South Carolina, in 2004, when I saw this flower protruding through a fence. Fortunately, I had my camera. The result was terrific. It’s funny how life can stop you in your tracks when you least expect it. Our interpretation of beauty is a mix of emotions and choices. But, now and then, you spot something captivating, and it defies what your concept of beauty is, or what you thought it was. I will keep this statement in perspective because we all have different tastes. However, my reaction upon seeing this plant was humbling. We try so hard to create the most pleasing things we can, and there was Mother Nature with a seed, Earth, and water, and the result was breathtaking. We all get so caught up in the sleekness of cars, beautiful homes, and other man-made things we either crave or elevate to heights unwarranted. We go from our homes to our vehicles, from our cars, and into work. How many of us walk in the present when we are outside. I decided not to take a taxi back to my hotel, so I could walk the streets and get a feel for Charleston. The Open Air Market was beautiful, and the Aquarium was terrific. The building where slaves were bought and sold left me with a deep sorrow and admiration for my people and our story of survival. In the long run, this little flower was the highlight of my trip. I stood there mesmerized by the levels of its design and its purity. I pondered the evolution of man. We have been constructing civilizations for thousands of years, and we have discovered many buried in various parts of the world, with many more to be found. We should be better stewards of the Earth. We eventually destroy all that we touch, and then Mother Nature takes the planet back. I felt this staring at that plant, and I thought, despite us, there is still such beauty all around us. I was, and I am thankful that I captured this image. It is a reminder that at that moment I could see the beauty of this flower in its purest form.