The Snake

There is a story that was always told to me by my grandpa while growing up that I loved. I had almost forgotten about this particular story until one of my friends posted about it. It goes like this:

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Often times young boys were sent from the village in search of a vision. This was the case of one particular young native boy.

He started to go up to the top of a mountain in search of his vision. And as he climbed up the mountain, the air got cooler and cooler. And he came upon a snake laying in the path. The snake was shivering, and said to the boy. "Please help me. I can't move, I am so cold that I can no longer make it any further down the mountain."

The boy said to the snake "No way! You're a snake, if I pick you up, you'll bite me!" The snake replied. "No, no I won't, I promise I won't bite you if you'll only pick me up and help get me down the mountain."

So the young boy picked up the snake, put him in his shirt, and continued climbing to the top of the mountain in search of his vision. When he got back down to the bottom of the mountain, he reached in, took out the snake, and the snake bit the young boy.

The boy replied to the snake "Hey! You bit me, you said that if I'd help you out, that you wouldn't bite me!"

The snake replied "But you knew what I was when you picked me up!"

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I love this story, every aspect of it. We often try to use the excuse when we pick up our own snakes that "we were fooled by a wolf in sheep clothing". If we are honest with ourselves none of us over a certain age are virgins to deceit, and we can tell but we choose not to, when we see a wolf dressed as a lamb. I have always been told that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. Obviously I have picked up a snake or two before, I have picked up trash in a really nice package. When we do pick up the snake how we react to it actually determines so much more.

This story means so much to me lately and I was unable to get it out of my head. If there is trash wrapped in a nice package that is what we are going to get. We can't act surprised about it or disappointed in anyone other then ourselves for picking it. If we pick up a snake we will never be guaranteed that we won't be the one that gets bit; we knew what it was before we picked it up.

That's my ramblings for the night. Boston and I have had a busy and productive week! We are always so amazed at the kind people we meet and messages we receive. Thank you! 

XO:

Ashlynn&Boston BRONSON