Saturday night at MFF 2010, I was heading back to my room from Lupus in Tabula, tired from an active day and itchy from too much sweat and Fabreeze in my lion's arms, when I was approached by a young lady. She looked so nervous, like she might run away or break into tears at any moment, but she asked if she could take a picture of me. She said that she really loved my Beast costume.

At first, I started to decline, begging weariness and discomfort, but when she said she had been working up her courage to ask for the photo all day, I knew I couldn't say no. I'd been where she was, and knew how much it took to ask those first few times. I saw a lot of myself in her, a few years ago, and it reminded me of how far I'd come in the time since.

She asked for one pose. I gave her five. Still, I would like to thank her again for that realization, and for the high compliment she gave me summoning all that courage to ask. So, young lady... whomever you are, wherever you are, this rose belongs to you.

Thank you.