When I was a little kid I was obsessed with nature shows. My heroes were Marlon Perkins from Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, and Jacques Cousteau, with his adventures on the Calypso. I got older and added Jane Goodall and Sir David Attenborough to my list. Much later I found the books of Gerald Durrell. I imagined they all lived the life I dreamed of, living in nature, with animals everywhere. I wanted to be an oceanographer, never mind that I had no idea what that was. I thought it meant I’d get to swim with dolphins and sea turtles.
Later I learned that there really wasn’t a career where you just hung out with animals. There was science and study involved and that really wasn’t for me. Instead, I did the business of school, work, raising a child. I loved my life, but still had those near mythical places bouncing around in my dreams – Tanzania, Australia, the Greek islands, on the Calypso, and of course, the Galapagos.
Last week, I got to realize a childhood dream. We took a 7 day cruise in the Galapagos Islands. I felt like I was 8 years old again. Tortoises!!! Penguins!!!! Iguanas!!! Blue footed boobies!!! The first step on the boat, I had tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat. Somehow it had happened and I was really truly there. I got to walk where Darwin walked. I snorkeled with sharks and swam with a penguin. I kayaked while rays and sharks lazily swam beneath us. Frigate birds flew above my head. Everywhere the sea swelled and rolled and sparkled in the sunlight.
For a week I got to be a child again. And if that isn’t magic, I don’t know what is.
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