He was afraid of snakes and still picked one up and saved you!! He loved you!! My mom would have run the other way and maybe remember to grab my hand to bring me with her but maybe not.
I have a happy childhood memories of a tiny little creek that used to run behind my babysitters trailer. All of the kids used to go play back there, it had a little hill that used to be a train track, but it was torn down. I can remember everything being so green. Catching crawdads and making mud pies. Oh to be a kid again!!