One fine late spring, before My spouse of 33 years and father of our 6 children told me his plan to leave , I was standing on the pier of our summer residence on Kelleys Island in Ohio letting the light breeze caress me, gazing into the distance and listening to the gentle waves hit the rocky beach.
Suddenly I felt the lightest touch along the side of my foot.
Out of the corner of my eye I glimpsed a Verny large water snake rubbing against my foot. Before I could feel fear s/he was gone.
Left behind was the old skin. When I lifted it up it was Intact , hot , transparent and soft. How did s/he escape ? Everything seemed to have been left behind down to the fragile fangs.
I brought the snakes remains into Himmelblau House and placed it on the altar of the snake goddess figurine I had brought back from Crete just month before.
Much later that summer I came to realize that natures gift to me was to show me that the time had come to shed the old skin. Best yet that snake taught me there was nothing to fear in letting go. Way before the time is right to move on and out we grow the new skin ready to protect us henceforth.
Then When the time came to offer up my dream of a life long marriage I knew just what to do and how to do it gracefully and gratefully.