So touching, honestly. I recorded myself telling a similar story, before the Bronx Zoo part, about being roughly 5 years old and being taken by my aunt to the pond to catch painteds. She took me to catch turtles all the time, probably because it was a free activity. It really meant everything to me and changed my life. My aunt died when I was nine and I really do think that my obsession has something to do with losing her and what that did to me and my family.Love it!
I grew up catching painteds off the dock at my grandmas lake...I had my special "turtle bucket" that they went into for an hour or two before I'd release them. I'd feed em some of the minnows we had for bait. Was always interested in chelonians, but "grew out of it" a bit when I got to be a teenager who was "too cool" to camp out at the end of the dock for hours catching turtles. Last summer, my grandma passed away after losing her fifth battle with cancer. I was really struggling with her loss...she was more my mom than anyone growing up and one of my best friends. I kept finding that, more than anything, I would have given anything to sit on that dock with her catching turtles, eating bologna sandwiches, and watching Land Before Time after lunch for the 10 millionth time. So, I did my research, bought a Hermanns from Chris (named Littlefoot), and I've been absolutely thrilled with him...It's going to be a lifelong hobby for sure, and a great way to remember the most wonderful, beautiful woman I ever knew.
Thank you for sharing. So much.