TheBanyanTree: Snakes Alive!!

[Russ Doden]

Great Story Pam!

Maybe I got such a kick out of it because of one of my "part time" jobs.
OK, it isn't a "job" job, but something I really enjoy.  I'm a part time
volunteer naturalist at a local nature center here in Tulsa, OK.  A big part
of our job is to take people - mostly kids during the school year, but a mix
of kids and adults on weekends, on Nature Walks and act as an interpretive
guide.  This involves pointing out all kinds of things we happen to spot.
This includes everything from wildlife such as deer, armadillos, rabbits, to
blue herons, ducks, geese and other fowl.  It also includes pointing out
indications of wildlife such as tracks, beaver chewed areas, bird nests, and
so forth as well as types of trees and plants - including poison ivy.  There
is always something new and fun to point out and I'm not sure who has more
fun to be honest - me or the people on my "tour".  One thing though that
gets me every time is . . . you guessed it, snakes.  I just have a totally
irrational reaction to them.  They are beautiful and an important part of
the ecosystem but they give me a start every time.  So, picture this if you
will.  I'm about 6'3" and weigh way too much (about 235) and every stinking
time I see a snake on a nature walk I have to control the urge to do the
"little girl dance" and jump back.  After all, it would totally destroy the
confidence of the visitors to see me jumping back and trying to get my heart
rate back under control!  What they see is a very calm and cool naturalist
pointing out the kind of snake it is, what its place in the ecosystem is,
and so forth.  What they don't see is the inner reaction that says, "Holy
crap, that is one big black snake." or something equally idiotic.  I'm just
glad we don't have any copperheads or water moccasins (or any other
poisonous snakes) in the nature centers I work out of, or I would also have
to resist my urge to introduce any I would find to the great beyond!

Russ

-- 
Take things one day at a time
If that is too much, go 1 hour at a time
If that is too much, go 1 minute at a time
Miracles come one minute at a time.