I spent most of my life in Seattle, WA. Here’s a little, known fact about Western Washington – there are no poisonous snakes (too cold year-round)!  I like to hike and roam so for all those years I never thought about snakes. In general, they don’t bother me but knowing that if I came across one, I could be assured that it was not poisonous.

Then, I moved to Southern Arizona. I moved in October, so it was getting cool enough that many snakes were heading towards hibernation. Very early on a worker at my place said, “come out by my truck, you can see a rattlesnake – a dead one”. I went out to see a thin snake about a foot long. I didn’t want to get close even though he told me it was dead. He said it was a very young one and that was why it was so small. I asked if its mother was around, and should I be worried, but he let me know that snakes are pretty much on their own two weeks after they hatch. So – no mamas around to worry about.

I walk for an hour each day. During my first winter in my new hometown, I didn’t concern myself much about snakes. There is a trail across for my place and I would walk each day admiring my new world and enjoy the sun. One day I noticed something black on the road as I crossed to go home.  It was a snake – a big one that had been run over by a car and was dried out. I took it home to check in my Snakes in AZ brochure and it was a diamondback rattle snake! Thank goodness it was DEAD.

Along about February my friends in AA began to warn me about snakes. They would be coming out of hibernation. The list of things to watch out for was long – look under your car before you get in, don’t leave out empty pots they can get in, they can crawl into your walled back yard through the drainage hole – make sure it has a dense screen to keep them out. If you see one – go the other way. Call the fire department and they will come and get it!  Yikes! I was freaking out! The newspaper in town had stories of snakebites every week and classes were available for residents, especially for ones that had dogs!

When I went on my daily walk, I was very aware of walking and watching what was in front of me on the trail. If I heard a noise I would stop and listen and assess and then move on. (By the way – rattlesnakes DO NOT rattle if you get close to them). I walked so that I was present and only looked a few feet ahead. I could enjoy the birds singing and the view of the mountains. I wasn’t afraid, I was cautious. The first time I saw a snake on my trail, I stopped about 25 feet from it. I didn’t see it moving but I still watched and began to look around to see if I could walk around the snake and not get cactus needles in me. Someone had told me that early in the spring snakes are often out getting sun to warm up since they are coldblooded creatures. I found a way around the snake, said hello as I watched, as I walked around the snake, and went on my way. Another time I was walking by the fire station near me, and they were doing a training on capturing snakes, putting them in wooden box and then taking them further out in the desert to release. It was fascinating. All wildlife in AZ is protected from being killed.

I’ve seen a few in this last year and this is what I have learned: Being present in my body and mind is very important. I can enjoy nature and be present at the same time. When faced with a challenge, I can stop, breath, and find the safest way to move through the challenge. Listening to others’ fears and anxiety doesn’t help me, it often just makes me anxious. I can trust myself that with education and AA support I can learn how to navigate my life. Scary things happen in my life. There is a power greater than myself that can restore me to sanity, and I turn my life of to the care of that power.