Grrr. Okay. I posted this last night but d*land ate it. This time I'm going to copy and paste this baby to wordpad so I won't have to write it out all over again. *crossing my fingers* Here goes nothing!

Tell us a story. No rules or restrictions, just tell us a story about anything. Maybe about your earliest memory, or your favorite concert. Maybe why you loved/hated high school, or where you want to live when you grow up. Anything. Party on.

Defining moment

You know that phrase "defining moment in your life"? I think I recently had one of those. I recently had food poisoning too, but I think we'd all rather read about my defining moment. Much less messy.

I walked up to a large fish tank containing two logs and three hatchling American Alligators. I put my hand into water that was cool but not cold. That feeling always makes me want to swim. I love the weightless, drifting sensation of being in the water, the way it feels like you're flying when you push off to swim a lazy, enjoyable lap.

I carefully grasped one of the 9 inch long hatchlings around the middle and lifted him out of the water. Startled, he let out the distress cry that would have brought a very angry mama gator down on me in a heartbeat if I'd plucked him from a lake in the wild.

Talking softly to him, I held him in both hands and brought him closer to me. Two small, yellow eyes with black slits for pupils regarded me seriously as I rubbed his head with one finger. He sat in my hands, with small feet resting on my palms and his tail partially curled around my right wrist.

I felt a burning behind my eyes and that tickling I'm-about-to-sneeze sensation I always get when I'm going to cry.

I was overwhelmed with excitement, affection and relief. This is what I want to do. I want to learn more about these amazing creatures that have lived for billions of years with so few evolutionary changes. I'd never really thought about it before but now I don't understand how anyone could shoot them, or crack open their eggs and dry out the tiny, underdeveloped embryos to sell as curiosities. I want to protect them and to share the respect and affection I feel for them.

A defining moment.

My question:

Describe your favorite holiday and season for us in scents and colors. (or just a time or place you love, if you don't care for either of those topics.)

I'll post my answer soon, I want to give it some more thought.