Getting up early to see the sunrise is a sign of a commitment to the day, right? (Who am I kidding? Right now, with the sun peeking up at 7:33 am, unless you rise at 6:15 am like I did, you’re likely late). Regardless, the morning is when you look forward to a day of promise, certainly another day in paradise in Florida, and maybe even a decent sunrise down at the beach.

Soon, we’re down at the Pier, my cameras capturing one of the prettiest sunrises ever. Beside us was a young couple from Sanford, Fl. They slipped in very quietly, and I didn’t pay them much attention. I kept shooting pictures of this terrific show unfolding due east. Then, a few moments later, there came a faint sob or a gasp, which I took to be the young woman responding to nature’s beauty before us.

I turned, only to discover Jonathan, the young man from Sanford, on his knees, about to formally propose marriage to his girlfriend.

And the gasp came when the young woman had also turned to see the same sight. Overcome for real, she fought back the tears and turned away, back toward the sunrise to which she was now oblivious. She took a long moment and turned back in time to hear Jonathan actually pop “the question”. This all happened so quietly beside us. A few more moments passed. The young woman composed herself and, though I didn’t hear it, must have quickly said “I will”.

I congratulated them, and told Jonathan that he was fortunate to have chosen this particular morning, with its spectacular sunrise, to ask his lady to marry him. He looked over at me from the couple’s embrace and replied softly, in vintage Jimmy Stewart fashion, “it was four months in the planning”.

And for that, the young couple was blessed to see this, before they disappeared as quietly as they had come: