SNAKE WARNING!
Paradise downfall
Temptation woman’s ruin
Serpent fears linger
I’m beginning to believe that I am a snake magnet. Seems I can’t take a simple hike, or rake leaves without uncovering a slithering reptile. I’m not afraid of snakes. I find them fascinating, and have a keen respect for them. Doesn’t keep me from uttering a few scatological terms when finding one curled up in a pile of lawn debris. While on a photo hike a few years ago, I happened upon a cottonmouth… I ALMOST stepped on it. Lucky for me, it was a cool day in November, and the snake was moving very slowly.
When I posted a snap of the brown striped one I uncovered this week, the vehement fear some of my online friends felt toward snakes, particularly the women, surprised me. Probably shouldn’t have.
It made me ponder – as I am wont to do – was this phobia some lingering result of the fall in Paradise. If you give credence to the tale of Adam and Eve, and their temptation in Eden, could the residual fear that women have of snakes be leftover guilt. That we are afraid of falling to temptation again, of falling victim to a sideways talking deceiver, so stay as far away from such a creature as we can.
What does that say about women like me, who aren’t afraid? Whose curiosity brings us to the brink of danger? Are we immune to sweet talk? Or are we flirting with our immortality?
Thin spiral notebook 
I like snakes. Why do so many womenr fear them? For the same reason they fear bugs and mice. And I don’t understand that either!
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Hadn’t thought fear of snakes as “a residual fear,” but it does have some validity. Wonder what Freud would have said to that! Enjoyed this post! Wishing you well!
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Excellent photo and think from Native American perspective Snake is trying to speak to you about some aspect of your life ~ lovely haiku ~ love line ‘serpent fears linger’ ~ Phobias of all sorts are indicative of underlying issues ~ You seem to be an enlightened woman ~ ^_^
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Snakes are fantastic. I just watched a documentary the other night about ‘flying’ snakes in Malaysia. They curl into a J shape at the end of a branch and whip themselves into the air. They basically spread open their rib cage to become aerodynamic and make twisty s shapes as they glide for hundreds of feet. How corkin awesome is that?? Of course now the phobics know that snakes can fly 😉 if there was an Eve, I agree with the bumper sticker that said ‘Eve was framed’…
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Personally, It’s an irresistible desire to reject an absurd rule just because some Guy came up with it. The apple was tasty, the snake was pretty, and paradise was boring. And there it is.
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they are amazing creatures; and if you happen to have a little boy, those skills will come in handy…I have never been in front of one who wanted to shoot poison at me, but we have lots of garter snakes in our yard and sometimes milk snakes. We have a 4 pets in terrariums in the house, who I feed all the time and kind of like. Never was like this before, but must get used to it. Oh, and whenever little girls come over to play? they all LOVE the snakes too…and hold them. Maybe it depends on where people grow up? But it’s great not to be afraid and with understanding of each creature, people tend to get less scared.
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falling victim to a sideways talking deceiver…truer words have never been written. LOL
I have been terrified of snakes since I was a little girl. I don’t trust anything that doesn’t have legs or slithers. I mean seahorses and starfish (both of which I adore) float..they do not slither.
but you gave me a lot to think about, again.
(and thank you for the WARNING…I almost fainted opening this email and I knew they were here. Imagine if I hadn’t??? 😉 )
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I told another friend who also is rather phobic, that I may have lost my fear of snakes when my dad threw a black snake at me when I was about five. I’ve always thought they were amazing creatures.
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I can assure you that if you threw a snake at me, I’d have a heart attack.
My dad taught me about snakes, but I never liked them. My sister had a book that had a snake (with its mouth open) inside and she would leave it under my pillow or open at my desk etc to scare me.
and even now, even my TRUE love of Harry potter, I cannot look at Nagini for long. I know the parts she’s in and I still turn my head.
not very courageous for a grown woman. 😦
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Hmm … probably proves why I’m agnostic. I love snakes.
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snakes are amazing and beautiful
thanks
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Actually, I think it has more to do with “snake” as a phallic symbol. The fact that you aren’t afraid has much to do with your strength and confidence as a woman.
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