The Legacy of The Snake Whisperer - Embracing my Fate to Defy my Fears

By Chidiebere Moses Ogbodo 

I always knew how I was going to die. It was written on my skin from the day I was born. A small, intricate tattoo on my left wrist, depicting a snake entwined around a skull. It was a frightening sight, one that had haunted me for as long as I could remember. For years, I had tried to ignore it, tried to convince myself that maybe it wasn't true. But deep down, I knew that it was. 

In this world, everyone was born with a unique tattoo that told them how they would die. Some were lucky enough to have tattoos depicting peaceful deaths, like dying in their sleep at the ripe old age, while others were not so fortunate, with tattoos showing violent or tragic ends. But regardless of the tattoo, everyone knew their fate, and there was no escaping it. 

At first, I tried to accept my fate, to come to terms with the fact that I would die at the hands of a snake. But as I grew older, the fear and dread only grew stronger. I didn't want to die like that. I didn't want to be taken by surprise, to feel the venom coursing through my veins as I struggled to hold on to life. 

So I decided to do something about it. I couldn't change the fact that the tattoo was there, but maybe I could change the circumstances surrounding my death. I began to study snakes, learning everything I could about them. I read books, watched documentaries, and even visited zoos to observe them up close. I wanted to be prepared, to know how to defend myself if I ever came face to face with one. 

Years passed, and my fear never wavered. But neither did my determination. I refused to accept my fate without a fight. And then one day, something miraculous happened. 

I was walking through the park, lost in thought, when I heard a commotion up ahead. A group of people had gathered around a tree, pointing and gasping. Curiosity getting the better of me, I pushed my way through the crowd to see what was going on. 

And there, coiled around a branch, was a snake. A small one, no bigger than my forearm, but still terrifying to me. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched it, frozen in fear. But then something strange happened. The snake seemed to notice me, and instead of attacking, it slithered down the branch and onto the ground. 

I didn't know what to do. Part of me wanted to run away, to get as far from the snake as possible. But another part of me was curious. Maybe this was my chance to face my fear, to prove to myself that I was stronger than my tattoo. 

So I stood there, watching as the snake made its way towards me. It was only a few feet away when I saw it rear up, its fangs bared and ready to strike. I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact. 

But it never came. Instead, I felt a sharp pain in my ankle, and then nothing. When I opened my eyes, I saw the snake slithering away, leaving me alone and unharmed. 

It wasn't until later that I realized what had happened. The snake had bitten me, but instead of injecting venom, it had given me a small dose of its own anti-venom. It was enough to neutralize the venom in my tattoo, to change the circumstances surrounding my death. 

I was elated. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had a chance to live, to defy my fate. And so I continued to study snakes, to learn everything I could about them. I even began to work with them, training them and studying their behavior. 

Discovering My Strength: 

Years passed, and my fear slowly faded away. I still had the tattoo, but it no longer haunted me like it once did. I knew that I was in control of my own destiny, that I had the power to change my fate. 

And then, one day, something else happened. I was walking through the park again, lost in thought, when I heard a familiar sound. A hissing sound, coming from behind me. 

I turned around, my heart pounding in my chest. And there, coiled around a branch, was a snake. But this time, I wasn't afraid. I knew what to do. I calmly approached the snake, careful not to startle it, and began to speak softly. To my amazement, the snake responded, its body language indicating that it was listening to me. We continued to communicate, me with words and the snake with its body, until we came to a mutual understanding. 

And that's when I realized that I had been given a gift. A gift that allowed me to communicate with these creatures, to understand their language, to see the world from their perspective. It was a gift that I had never imagined possible, and yet here I was, living proof that anything was possible if you believed in yourself.

 

As the years passed, I became known as the Snake Whisperer. People came from all over the world to see me, to witness the amazing bond I had with these creatures. And I realized that this was my true calling, my destiny. 

I had defied my fate, but not in the way that I had originally thought. Instead of changing the circumstances surrounding my death, I had changed my perspective on life. I had embraced my fear and turned it into something beautiful, something that brought joy and wonder to others. 

And so I lived my life, content in the knowledge that I had taken control of my own destiny. My tattoo still remained, a reminder of what could have been. But it no longer held power over me. I was free, free to live my life on my own terms, free to make my own choices. 

In the end, it wasn't about changing my fate. It was about changing myself. And in doing so, I had discovered a whole new world, one that I never would have imagined possible. 

Leveraging My Strength 

As I continued to work with the snakes, I learned more and more about them. I learned about their behavior, their habitats, and their interactions with other animals. I became an expert on snakes, and my knowledge was sought after by scientists, researchers, and nature enthusiasts alike. 

But even with all of my knowledge, there were still times when I was reminded of my tattoo. There were still times when I felt the old fear creeping back in, when I wondered if my luck would run out. 

One day, while I was out in the field, I came across a venomous snake. It was a black mamba, one of the deadliest snakes in the world. My heart raced as I watched it, knowing that even the slightest mistake could be fatal. 

But I didn't panic. I didn't freeze up. Instead, I remembered everything I had learned, and I approached the snake calmly and confidently. To my amazement, the snake didn't attack. It simply watched me, as if curious about what I would do next. 

And that's when it hit me. My tattoo didn't have to be a death sentence. It could be a gift, a warning that allowed me to be more cautious and aware of my surroundings. It could be a reminder to live my life to the fullest, to take risks and make the most of every moment. 

 

Appreciating Life before it is gone 

From that moment on, I no longer saw my tattoo as a curse. Instead, I saw it as a symbol of strength, a testament to my ability to overcome fear and adversity. And as I continued to work with the snakes, I knew that I was exactly where I was meant to be. 

Years passed, and I grew older. My skin became wrinkled, and my hair turned gray. But my passion for snakes never waned. And when the time came for me to leave this world, I did so with a smile on my face, knowing that I had lived my life to the fullest. 

As I took my last breath, I closed my eyes, and I saw a snake. But instead of fear, I felt a sense of peace. I knew that my time had come, but I also knew that I had defied my fate. I had lived a life that was rich and full of wonder, and I had touched the lives of countless others along the way. 

And as I drifted off into the unknown, I knew that my legacy would live on. The Snake Whisperer would be remembered not as a man who was afraid of death, but as a man who had embraced life, and all of its mysteries, with open arms. 

Thank You for reading, please clap and share.