Gratitude Day 6: What is a happy memory from my childhood?

Going to Marine Land in California (since bought out by SeaWorld). My mom, older sister and I were sitting in the bleachers to watch the whale and dolphin show.

A young man wearing a Marine Land shirt came up to me and said, “Would you like to pet a dolphin?”

I, of course, looked to my mom who may have asked him a few questions first (I don’t remember; I was thinking, “I get to pet a dolphin?!”). She eventually agreed and I followed the man to the edge of the pool. He had also chosen someone else from the crowd, a little boy about two years younger than me (I was eight).

The trainer then told one of the dolphins to slide up to our feet and say, “Hi.” The dolphin looked up and said, “Hi” in her high-pitched voice.

We were then invited to pet her. I expected her skin to be smooth and cold, but it was warm and was rough, much like the grooves of an LP record (sorry to the youngins’ who don’t know what that is).

We were then given a microphone and were asked to give our names, age, and where we were from. It was the first time I heard my own voice, and I was shocked at how high-pitched it was. Not as high as the dolphin, though…

Dolphins have been my favorite animal ever since.