I have always, as an adult been DEATHLY afraid of these slippery, ugly, scaly serpents that silently slither through the grass and weeds in an attempt to get me! I just KNOW that is their only agenda in life.......to hunt me down!
I remember when I was younger, my sister and I had a "pet" snake that we kept in an empty diaper box in our garage. One morning as I went out to visit and feed him......he was gone! I think it was at that point that I became aware of their ability to elude and never be seen again. I was scared that he would jump out at me and constrict my throat for keeping him in a box, where he didn't belong. As I aged, the fear became massive. I was completely enervated of any positive thoughts about snakes. It grew, grew, grew, and continued until bi-weekly I'd have nightmarish dreams of them reading my thoughts and picking me out of the crowd to attack. I hated it! I still do......HOWEVER...
Yesterday I was out tilling up our depleted garden before the rains come and it get too muddy. And like always my thoughts turned to wondering how many serpents have taken our corn field and made a home out of it. I didn't care much, because, well, John Deere tractor tiller VS. snake....I knew who the winner would be. I was also very calm in the fact that I didn't have to place foot in the dirt I just plowed right through.
As I was winding down that last pass of the garden, right smack in front of me slowly slithered an ugly, stunned-looking snake. Now you have to know that despite my fear of snakes I don't have the heart to hurt them (well not anymore.) I turned the tractor off, got down, got close to mr. reptile and I felt bad. Because he was non-aggressive, I took the plunge.
With my heart about to jump out of my chest and pounding far more beats than a heart should ever be capable of, I reached to pick him up! My hands grabbed his skinny tail, I swallowed the lump in my throat and just pinched my thumb to my finger and lifted. I wished at that point that my arms could have been maybe a foot or two longer. I let out a scream of success, disgust, fear and jubilance all in one very-high-pitched tone that I didn't think my vocal chords could produce!
I carefully examined him and found no injuries. I then had to have someone get the evidence that I did in fact overcome one of my greatest fears. Now, for those of you that aren't afraid of snakes, just think of your fear and conquering it! Whether it be heights, moths, germs, rabid dogs, birds, mice etc. you get the point.
So there you go and I'll never do it again!!!
