Fall in the Pacific Northwest never disappoints. The colors show up in full force—fiery, rich, and impossible to ignore—always giving me the perfect excuse for a quick road trip. This time, I made my way to the Seattle Japanese Gardens, hoping to catch that magical blend of glowing Japanese maples and late-season cherry tones reflected in the garden’s perfectly still, carefully crafted ponds.The weather was perfect, partially sunny and kind of warm for fall. I arrived around 11 a.m., ready to photograph colorful, peaceful landscapes… only to discover that half of Seattle seemed to have the same idea. My “landscape” workshop was starting to look suspiciously like a street photography class!
Still, surrounded by glimmering scarlet foliage, honey-gold canopies, and shimmering reflections, I decided to adapt. People can be distractions—but sometimes they turn into the story you didn’t know you were coming to capture.
While looking for new compositions, I spotted it, iconic steppingstones leading across the pond, set against a backdrop of fiery red and burnished orange leaves. Finally, no people! I raised my camera and …. that’s when an elderly woman(OK, we could go 70ish) wandered right into my frame, stepping onto the stones with the confidence of someone much younger. Halfway across, she paused, realizing perhaps that the stones were more ornamental than practical and she was now in need of some assistance! I was too far away to help, but an older gentleman nearby, seeing her trouble quickly offered his assistance and hurried to offer his arm. He guided her tenderly across, steadying her with the kind of patience polished by many years of experience. But soon came the best moment.
Once she was safely across, he turned back for his own spouse, who had been waiting with the amused expression of someone who’d seen this kind of heroism from him before. She beamed as he reached for her hand, and the two crossed together, step by careful step.
The scene was irresistible. I lifted my camera and pressed the shutter, grateful not just for the dazzling fall colors, but for the loving moment unfolding before me.
There, in the middle of a crowded garden, surrounded by kaleidoscopic leaves and the whisper of autumn, I witnessed something far more beautiful than any landscape: a simple, timeless act of kindness.
Yes—chivalry isn’t dead yet. It’s alive and well, crossing a pond one steady step at a time.
