"Why I Kinda Love Snakes"
by Ingrid Bairstow


I used to really hate snakes. I wouldn't walk by the snakes in the pet stores. I stopped hiking in the summer when snakes were more likely to jump out and bite me. But, somehow along my journey of life, when I became a mother,


I realized almost overnight, that I now not only don't hate snakes, they fascinate me.

You see, I gave birth to a son who has grown up loving all creatures -- marine, land, insects, and, yes, reptiles.

I housed all of these creatures for almost two decades. My weekly run for groceries included a stop for crickets. As my son grew, his explorations grew. As a teenager, he wanted to see these previously home-housed creatures in their natural environment. Thus began hours and hours of long drives to the mountains and deserts searching for the 'wild.'


This year, my son left for college, studying Marine Biology. Before he left, I hated driving to the deserts looking for the snakes. I stayed in the car whenever he spotted one and helped it across the road to escape death. Looking back at our photos, I realize the snakes are beautiful. Their colors, their creepy skin, their eyes, the shapes of their faces.

But most of all, when I see these creatures, I no longer see creepy slimy scary. I see the wonder and gentleness of my son.

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