I don't know about you but I tend to get single-minded and narrow focused when I am planning a photo shoot. I want to get the big "opportunity" and tend to overlook the small ones.
 
Case in point. The doctors have told me to walk to improve my circulation and to strengthen my heart. I decided to walk to the nearby cypress swamp and see if I could get some shots of the nesting great blue herons. I have a blind already set up.
 
I took my camera and my 600mm mirror lens, it is much lighter than the big Canon 500, loaded a cell phone, water, film and a couple more lenses in my waist belt, put the camera on the tripod and left.
 
I was in a big hurry to get there and almost did not take time to look around. However on the way I spotted a butterfly. I did force myself to wait and got a couple of shots of it.
 
Ok, let's hurry along and get those herons. when I got to the swamp road I saw some more butterflies and a few dragonflies. I took a few shots and then eased on. Of course in my haste I spooked all the birds from the swamp. Kicking myself I decided to go to the blind and see if they would come back. While I was there, a lizard came out and did his mating display. The herons flew over but never landed. However just before I was leaving, a great egret lit on a log and posed.
 
I was walking back and a grasshopper landed on a grass stalk and allowed me to get real close. I was still mad at myself and disappointed I did not accomplish what I had set out to do. As I was walking home I got to thinking about the photos I did get and it occurred to me that all of God's creatures are important, even me. Don't get so focused on the big things that you miss the little ones. Life is a journey and if you miss "smelling the roses" you will never be able to go back. All of us can not photograph the great western scenery or maybe even some of the grand wildlife, but we can photograph the small things in our own backyard. Enjoy life and keep on shooting.