I am in the donut shop. I stand by the window looking out. My coffee order is in. I can wait. I teach my photography students to wait. If you want to see something worth photographing I tell them, wait. Look around. Really look. The world is eager to show itself but is a bit shy. Stand still and do not scare it. Usually, in no time at all, the world will unfold itself and show what it has been hiding. Waiting, I see the letters in the window say “XIM XIM XIM XIM XIM XIM …” Actually, the repeated slogan is “MIX YOUR OWN REFRESHER” but I am inside looking out only seeing the first word “MIX” backwards. I realize some roman capital letters look the same forward and backwards, lots of them: AHIMOTUVWXY and the numbers 80. Some sentences written with those characters must say different things seen inside and out. What might they be? And what palindromes might arise using those letters? Before my thinking can go further, my coffee is ready and my reflection comes to an end.
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Photo Prayer 2026-21. Photo looking out a coffee shop window in downtown Wilmington, Delaware on a rainy day. Photo and text copyright 2026 by Danny Nelson Schweers.
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COMMENTS
Anne G. wrote:
I really like this post Danny!
David McB. wrote:
I love your admonition about the world revealing itself and how to see it. Beautiful. Where was the coffee shop? Market street? [DANNY REPLIED: Yes, Duncan Donuts at 7th and Market, Wilmington, Delaware.]
Denison H. and Cookie O. <ardn@aol.com> wrote:
[approval emojis]
Annette H.wrote:
Love it! Thanks for the reminder to stop for a moment – to breathe and to observe!
Kathleen Jost wrote:
Great street shot, Danny! And good advice too. [NOTE: Danny and Kathleen will have an exhibit of street photography at the Buzz Ware Village Center in Arden, Delaware in 2027.]
Robin Davis [who led a workshop Danny attended] wrote:
Hi Danny – Thank you again for another shared true moment. It’s like we are there with you! I love the wet pavement and colors too. I used to be good at Roman Numerals but have forgotten and need to practice! I have been producing a podcast every week for my students who are subscribed on Patreon. It’s called THE THINKING PHOTOGRAPHER, and it would be fun to interview you and talk about how you enjoy being deeply present and seeing in the moment. However I leave soon for Cortona to do my workshop again there, and will stay for most of October to finish 2 projects I have had in the works for a very long time, and then will be at St. Simons Island for my workshop there in November, but will be relaxed more in December and definitely all of January. If you would like to do this, we can put it on our calendars. I know it would be great fun for me as this is the part of Photography that is the most interesting but rarely gets discussed.
https://www.patreon.com/TheThinkingPhotographer/posts/why-vivian-maier-164097365
Audrey C. wrote:
Cool Danny
Cecilia V. wrote:
Loved this one. [DANNY REPLIED: Glad you liked this one. Graphic typography in the real world! So, any suggestions on sentences that can be read forwards and backwards using “AHIMOTUVWXY”? The sentences do not have to be palindromes, In fact, it might be more interesting if they said related but different things forward and backwards.
Bernadette D. wrote:
Love this, Danny – Thank you!
Brenda L. wrote:
Excellent observation
Ellen L. D. wrote:
Love this!