The Lesson of the Snake
This past week I went hiking in Pisgah Forest in the Western North Carolina mountains. It was a beautiful hike through the forest. The temperature was perfect to enjoy all nature had to offer.
After four miles of dirt path, streams, trees, waterfalls and fungi, we finally made it to the top of slate rock. The beautiful vista that the rock had to offer rewarded us with an amazing view of the Universe's beauty.
We enjoyed the rock for a good amount of the late morning. We took off our shoes and socks to absorb the minerals and energy the rock had to offer. We ate some snacks, talked, enjoyed the view and walked around taking videos and pictures.
I sat back down in the original spot I was at when we first arrived. My soulmate, who had been sitting down, got up to take some pictures and walk around the rock to see more of the amazing view. I sat there staring at the ants crawling over my bare feet looking for any crumbs that may have fallen from my snack.
I glanced to my right and quickly turned back to check on my wife who was down at the edge of the rock. But suddenly I realized that I saw something when I looked to my right. I turned my head quickly again and there it was. A huge 4-5 foot Timber Rattlesnake. It was curled up sitting next to a hole on the rock about 6 feet from my bare feet . It was laying there trying to sunbathe.
I got my soulmate's attention and gathered my things to move them. We spent the next fifteen minutes taking pictures and videos of the snake. Then we left it alone, sat back down and enjoyed the rest of our time on the rock. After all, the rock was big enough for all of us.
When we got home, we went through our pictures and videos. Selected the ones we liked and started posting them to social media. We got many responses to the snake pictures. Many people were saying they would have ran, they couldn't share a rock with the snake, and they would have had to get rid of it.
That was about the end of my snake story until today. Today during my spiritual and meditation time, my spirit guide Sage Feather pointed out some things for me to share. Sage Feather always brings me perspective to my visits to the forest and the things that happen to me there. Here is what he told me to share with the world.
We are all DIFFERENT. We are all unique. We must end the fear of indifference and embrace the beauty of uniqueness. We must accept and validate each other for who we are, not tear each other down. We must continue to push to love uniqueness and get rid of the hate of indifference.
When you arrived on the rock after a four mile journey, you entered the home of the snake, the bees and the ant. While you enjoyed your time there, the snake sunbathed, the bees pollinated, and the ants looked for food while crawling on your feet. That rock offered plenty for everyone. That rock had enough room for everyone. Even though all of you were different, all of you embraced your uniqueness and did what you came to do. The snake could have bit you, the bees could have stung you, and you could have killed all of them. But you didn't. You lived together peacefully while being different.
When the settlers came to the America's, the Indigenous peoples wanted to share their land. But because the Indigenous were different from the settlers, didn't look like them, didn't have their customs, nor their religion, the settlers lied and brought war and harm to the indigenous people. They did not love the uniqueness, they hated the difference. Even though there was plenty of room for everyone to live together, they couldn't get past the differences.
Today is no different. Today we must stop the hate. We must stop the discrimination. We must stop the fear of indifference. There is plenty of room for everyone. There are plenty of resources for everyone. In order to make the Earth the peaceful, happy place it needs to be, we must love the uniqueness. Love. Not hate. We have to do that to survive together.
End the Fear of Indifference.
Love the Uniqueness in all living beings
Blessings
By Michael Walters
The Ancestor's Fire
Writing the voices of the unheard
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