Over two years in Thailand and until just now I have never seen a live snake except in a zoo. My ever growing love of nature in all forms means that I watched in horror as a well-meaning neighbour came to help and bashed it to death. I am wanting to cry even as I type these words. I doubt it was even poisonous. It was horrible.
On later reflection, the lesson for me from this comes in the form of not standing by and watching a death, thinking you can be free of responsibility while someone else does the bludgeoning in your name. Furthermore, it lies in the awareness that in the absence of a clear and direct life-threatening attack, we all have a right to live and to be respected, both me and the snake. I may be a little scared of snakes but I am pretty sure that this one was not poisonous and, even if it was, it could have been removed calmly and without loss of life. Should I kill all the animals in the jungle where I will soon live, lest they harm me? What kind of jungle, what kind of natural haven, would that then be? A very sterile one, one diametrically opposed to the one I seek.
I feel the snake gave me its life to teach me this important lesson and I apologise to it and offer it my gratitude. If I am to teach a deeper and more fulfilling connection with oneself through a profound connection with nature, such lessons are vital. Through this understanding I may now enjoy a deeper connection with my true self as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment