Owl Opinions

Know the Snake…

This year’s lunar new year celebrates the Year of the Snake as per the Chinese zodiac. It is an interesting symbol – many don’t like snakes but personally I have come to understand their existence and need.

About 2 months ago, I noticed a little Battichcha bird building a nest on my grape vine. I was very pleased – I like the idea of building a home and new life. The baby birds were born about a month ago and I could hear them happily chirping while the mother fed them. One day when I came home, there was no sound. The nest looked like something had opened it’s mouth wider than before. I was a bit dismayed – I thought perhaps another bird or some predator had made its way to it. I wondered if the resident gerandiya (rat snake) who I had not seen in a while had made an appearance. I let it pass and hoped the birds had escaped.

This afternoon, I noticed a toppled pot in my garden. I hastily checked my CCTV and lo and behold – I saw the gerandiya slithering and toppling the pot in its haste. This made me realise – the snake was back. I could not see where it had gone off too. But as I was leaving the house, I saw a thick white underbelly and grey top slithering from my neighbour’s wall onto my grape vine. He meandered his way through the vines and I realised – this was the one who laid siege to the poor nest.

Part of me was mad – but as I related to my father later on – this is the law of the jungle. Survival of the fittest. He said, I don’t want the law of the jungle in my house. I understood. Had any snake tried to get to me, I would ensure it did not survive. But in this instance, I had no need per se to get rid of it. After all, rat snakes eat rats and that is a far greater service than me wanting the birds to nest.

And so, I realised, that one has necessity for snakes and yes, they can destroy as much as they can protect and guard. Yet if one is aware, it can be utilised in a useful manner without letting it harm you.

 

Meet Lilanka
“what is meant to be comes about of what one does”.
An eclectic personality with a penchant for creativity, Lilanka is an old soul who loves life, laughter and stepping off the beaten track. She finds joy in nature, travelling and venting her existential frustrations via her writing while calming her body with food and her soul with music. Her motto is – “what is meant to be comes about of what one does”.
A collection of eclectic expressions from life according to Lilanka Botejue. From her creative outbursts and passionate views to her love for nature, food, music and archaeology, Owl Muses is an attempt to capture these moments in time.
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