Snakes

At our weekend place in the country again, walking through the woods, I encountered a Black Rat Snake sunning itself in the path.  I spent a few minutes watching it, and then decided to try to walk on the edge of the path around it, but then the snake started making a rattling sound so I changed my mind.  Actually, making this sound is one of the defense mechanisms of this type of harmless snake (harmless unless you are a small rodent that is).

On our property, we have also encountered an Eastern Hog-nosed Snake, which can spread its neck to look like a Cobra.  How fascinating that this harmless snake would mimic the type of venomous snake that is not native to the entire North American continent!

I have also had the privilege of seeing a Red Milk Snake, again harmless, but oh so beautiful.  This snake mimics the potentially deadly Coral Snake, although Coral Snakes are not found in Missouri.

So it occurs to me that sometimes we are like snakes.  We pretend to be something or someone we are not in order to avoid getting hurt.  I come back to a couple of my basic understandings.  First, to encounter love requires becoming vulnerable.  Second, the definition of holiness is authenticity.

More about snakes next time.