Sometime in the middle of this year, I decided to get a snake. I had been toying with the idea months before ; studying and learning as much as I can about the responsibilities and expectations that were required to keep a python. And finally in one fine Saturday afternoon on August 22nd 2012, I decided to get my own ball python.
Elliot has been with me for the last few months and it’s been interesting just observing him. Now I know some people may not dig deep or put much thought into looking after a reptile – it’s just a creature after all, so why bother placing symbolism and stuff like that on it?
But to me, keeping Elliot has been more than just keeping an exotic pet. Sure, talking about him has allowed me to strike entertaining and interesting conversations with clients, friends and family. But on a more personal level having Elliot has taught me more than just keeping an exotic reptile. And if there’s one thing Elly has taught me, it will be how unfounded and stupid our irrational fears can sometimes be – and how we are often paralyzed by such fear.
Our Fears are unfounded…most of the times
I remember when I first got Elliot I was scared to even hold him. True I have always been fascinated by snakes and reptiles, but I had never own a slithering creature before. But there was just something alluding about snakes which captivated me. A misunderstood creature perhaps I often used to think before I got Elliot. However once I got Elliot, I didn’t dare to even open his cage for the longest time. It was only on day 3 when I decided to take him out but that too ended up in a near-disaster as he could have gotten away. I was afraid to pick him up and carry him. It took me quite sometime for me to comfortably hold him and let him roam around my lap and my hands and arm.
It was a liberating feeling knowing that I could finally hold my python without feeling afraid. But more than just pythons, Elliot taught me that most of the time, we are often afraid of things which are not even real threats to us. We get so caught up with being afraid that we become paralyzed and inadequate. It doesn’t help also if we have role models who are conformed to the same way of thinking – why on earth do you want to have a snake as a pet, it’s disgusting yada yada yada…
But these are just conformity and people’s experiences and preferences. Sometimes when people don’t want you to do something that THEY are not comfortable themselves, they try to frighten you and scare you – true they do have wisdom and some do mean well – but to me, most of the time, it’s because people themselves don’t know better – and so they assumed things without proper validation and backing evidence.
But as Elliot has shown me, our fears are often times silly and unfounded. And once we learn to overcome them, we will achieve a renewed sense of confidence – a belief in thyself – and true enough, when we overcome one obstacle, we will have the experience, confidence and assurance to overcome other challenging matters in our lives.
Stay true to yourself and the course
Alot of people, while they were fascinated with me having a pet snake often would ridicule me for even considering to keep such a dangerous pet. Now no doubt that snakes are dangerous, and pythons (the burmese and reticulated) can be quite dangerous to a human being, most people failed to understand the finer details of my snake. For example, many just assumed my python was the normal kind – the ones you see in zoos and exhibitions – when in actual fact it isn’t – Elliot is a ball python – a different sub-species which is only capable of growing up to 4 feet max. Secondly, alot of people assumed that pythons eat humans – which is not entirely true – humans are NOT in the python food chain and while in some cases you might have heard of a python swallowing a child or so, ball pythons are incapable of doing that.
However how much I tried to explain to friends and peers about my snake, and the kind of sub-species that it was, I found myself sometimes wondering how people can be so ignorant about things – but it also made me realize that I should always stay the course – afterall I know my ball python better than my friends and even though they may not understand ball pythons, I should be firm and stay the course. And in life that is so important – we are often swayed by the opinions of the wind, but it takes true courage and determination to not only stay the course, but to also be gentle and understanding to those who may not understand. I would often use my time to educate people about ball pythons – explaining to them the different types of snakes.
At the end of the day, I think these are two biggest lessons Elly has taught me over the last few months. He may not be as receptive as a cat or a dog, but to me, these are some of the important life lessons that these slithering creature has made me realize.
And you guys thought snakes are just some slithering creatures with no real value or purpose..HAH!
