Parable of the Snake

So anyone who knows me well, knows I have a deadly fear of snakes. A “I can’t even watch Harry Potter because of the huge snake and after it I would  have nightmares about snakes” irrational fear of snakes.

Recently after a big season I decided to take a few days off and to go stay at wonderful  friend’s cottage in the Blue Mountains. I bundled Molly the dog and a bunch of books into the car and drove myself to my retreat.

On arrival I grabbed my bags and the dog, unlocked the cottage and walked in the begin my mini vacay. Within a few minutes Molly was going crazy chasing something behind the TV – in among the various black cords I thought I saw a snake !!!

So I did what any irrational terrified person does- I didn’t stop to find out what was there I grabbed my stuff and my dog and bolted out of there – determined to drive myself back to Sydney.

I sat in the gorgeous garden waiting for my heart rate to return to normal while Molly had a run. In this time, in a text conversation, my good friend Annie encouraged me not to let my rest get robbed. Then I texted the owners who had seen mice recently, and thought it was probably just a mouse. That made more sense than a snake in autumn (fall)  in a house. Country homes get mice. Mice I can deal with- and they can have black tails.

As I had bolted, I honestly couldn’t tell you what I had seen.

I took the dog for a long walk and on the way back, after a few hours, I decided that I was not going to let fear rip me off. I really needed a break – and what was probably a mouse should not take that away.

I actually spoke out loud to myself – I took authority over my fear and proclaimed that I would have the rest that I needed.

I went back to the cottage and Molly happily ran into the cottage with not a care in the world- the mouse was clearly gone .

Here’s what I learned

1. How easy would it have been for me to give into my fear and go home. How often does fear cause us all to run from good things.
2. We need good friends to give us some info that can dissipate fear and friends to encourage us not to  be ripped off .
3. That sometimes we have to put on our big girl pants and refuse to give into fear.

By refusing to give into fear I had a gorgeous few days in the mountains – read, ate and drank with my friends, slept and prayed.

P.S On the last morning I took Molly for a walk again before leaving to come home. We came back into the cottage to guess what-  yep a long black SNAKE in the dining area ! Ha, the man of the house was home and came to rescue me. However I stood and looked at that snake until he arrived (holding tight onto Molly) – I had done the thing I dreaded, been in a room with a snake, and I survived. Not sure my fear of snakes is totally gone- but I have faced it and refused to let it rip me off. I had a great holiday despite sleeping in a house with a snake !!! Fear did not win.

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