A glowing sunset, a proud American flag, and a peaceful moment on Lake Norman, NC

You'd think sunsets would get predictable...

The sun goes down. Things get pretty. It gets dark. Boom. You've seen it a thousand times.

Until one catches you completely off guard.

I was enjoying a boat ride on Lake Norman with a glass of wine when the light suddenly changed. That's when Sunset FOMO ("Fear of Missing Out") kicked in! I put down my wine and grabbed my camera, hoping I wasn't already too late.

Then the last rays of sunlight found the American flag.

For a few seconds, I wasn't thinking about photos at all. I was back in the Air Force, and my first instinct was to salute.