Stony brook: In Memorial

I visited Stony Brook State Park one sunny afternoon, drawn by the roar of the waterfall ahead. As I approached, I noticed a woman kneeling near the water's edge, her hand reaching for a smooth rock. The scene was striking—her figure framed by the cascading water, sunlight dancing through the mist. Without thinking, I raised my camera and snapped a photo. Curious, I approached her. "I took a picture of you—it turned out beautifully. Would you like to see it?" She smiled, and her husband stepped closer as I showed them the image. "This is so lovely," she said softly. Then her husband explained, "She’s picking a rock to inscribe the name of a former student who drowned nearby a few years ago. Every year, she adds a stone to the memorial wall here." Suddenly, the picture felt deeper than a simple capture of beauty. It held a story—a quiet tribute to life and loss. As they walked away, I knew that moment would stay with me forever.