Snakes live on almost every continent and are found in most habitats. Often, these slithery creatures are feared, especially venomous ones. As a child, I, too, was afraid of snakes. Maybe because one of my early memories was watching a television program of a snake charmer hypnotizing a king cobra as the reporter explained if bitten, the venom could kill the man. Also, I thought of snakes as evil, like they are often portrayed. Eventually, I learned that not all snakes are venomous, and they symbolize a gamut of spiritual and mystical ideas besides evil. Still, when my daughter decided her first tattoo would be a snake, I wasn't sure what to think. But I knew if I objected to her idea, it would make her want that tattoo even more, so I calmly asked her why. Her answer, not in these exact words, was when a snake sheds its skin, it's like a rebirth. After it goes through the process, the same snake emerges, but with new skin. The snake tattoo symbolized her changes. At the time, she was 18 and had indeed, done much growing and maturing since she was born. While I wasn't so keen on her getting a snake tattoo, I was impressed at the thought behind it.
Years later, when I was relaxing one evening, I had a moment of clarity invoked by the image of her tattoo. I had been through significant life changes and felt as if I had finally put my unraveled life back together. Life's pitfalls can be challenging but adapting and learning from these challenges can make us smarter and wiser, resulting in a changed person. Figuratively, it's like growing new skin. That is where I was mentally the evening I sent her this text: I've shed my skin. She was confused until I reminded her of why she chose a snake tattoo. Immediately, she responded with a happy face emoji and I suspect she, too, was smiling at the notion that she had taught me something.
After reading the article, Snakes Symbolism & Meaning and the Snake Spiritual Meaning, (https://www.uniguide.com/snake-symbolism-meaning-spirit-animal) I was fascinated with the many ways snakes have been symbolized in ancient cultures. I asked myself, could a snake tattoo be in my future? As of now, I don't have one, but I haven't ruled it out either! If you have a snake tattoo or are thinking about getting one, what is your reason for choosing it?
