Captured while wandering through Washington State, I crossed paths with a few strangers, each uniquely intriguing. One in particular was an older gentleman, a 20-year veteran who piloted EA-6B Prowlers. His face, etched with lines of experience, lit up as he recounted times with his best friends in San Diego, a fond piece of his past.
A tinge of regret later shifted his tone as he mentioned how his demanding career cost him his first marriage. He also felt it was too late to pursue many things due to his age. When I asked if he could still pilot a Prowler, he confidently assured me he could. I tried to encourage him, saying that the complexity of taking a photograph was a fraction of what it takes to fly an aircraft built for warfare, and that he could definitely learn to take a photo.
After we shook hands and parted ways, I felt a surge of gratefulness for being out there doing simply what I wanted to do. You don’t have to be in the military to know life isn't always straightforward; it can take different and sudden turns. It can even set you down in one place for a while, maybe a place you don’t want to be.
It’s up to us to find a bridge to traverse over fear or doubt and discover that, maybe, just maybe, something on the other side might be worth our while, perhaps even something as simple as a conversation.
