The sun prepared to rest for the evening, and I intended to follow. Looking forward to setting my camera aside for an evening, I 1 back to camp. Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me. "Photo, photo, photo." A young Surma boy about 7 years old 2 me. I breathed a(n) 3 sigh. I had no energy to press the button one more time, no matter how eager he was.

I hoped the boy would find someone else to take his 4 , but he kept following me. Finally, he 5  to catch my eye. As I looked at him, an idea for a composition 6  in my mind.

I 7 the boy where to stand and how to pose. As I prepared to take the photograph, his energy suddenly shifted from 8 to nervousness to fear. No matter how I told him to look and stand, he just looked at me 9 . He'd gone camera shy! In an effort to 10 him, I clapped my hands, saying, "That was great. You were great". The boy's face immediately 11 a smile. I intuitively took a few 12 of the moment. That photograph turned out to be 13 than the composition I'd imagined.

I have learned much about myself and life through photography. The outer 14  of taking photos take me on . inner journeys to heal and transform. 15  on my experience with the Surma boy, I realised I had been 16  my own ideas, and wants. But, all the boy had really wanted was to be 17  for a moment. That was the moment that needed to be 18  .

Photography has become my connection to the world. I'm privileged to see others, like that Surma boy, 19 focusing on my own issues, which 20 me of what's truly important in life.