No one has ever died from a snake bite

I have never been bitten by a snake. I’ve walked along paths and been cautiously aware. When I was a child, my dad collected the rattles from snakes he encountered on the ditch bank. I have even had the conversation about who in the group would suck the venom out if one of us was bitten. I am not scared of snakes, but I definitely startle when I see one even though one has never bitten me. 

Recently, I listened to a talk by Wayne Dyer. He said, “No one ever died from a snake bite. It is the venom coursing through the body that kills. The bite itself does not kill.” He was making the point that an offense isn’t what causes the most harm; instead, it is the resentment coursing through our mind that does the greater damage.

For the majority of my life I did not realize how much poison was running through my veins because of resentment, blame, judgment, self-pity and negativity. As I would feel hurt or wounded by someone or something, I didn’t know how to let it go, forgive, and send love. Instead, I would allow the poison to consume my thoughts, feelings and even actions. At one point, I became so miserable that I literally wanted to die. The poison of resentment definitely has the potential to kill. 

When a coworker oversteps or gives what feels like harsh criticism, I feel the bite but let go of the poison. When close friends or family members don’t show up the way I want them to, I feel the bite and forgive. When I disagree with someone about politics or societal issues, I feel the bite but send love. As Wayne Dyer would say, “There are no justified resentments.” 

We had a baby snake in the basement recently. When my partner was gently removing it, she startled a bit even though it was just a garter snake. As I laughed, she said, “Well, it hurts when you get bit.” And, that is the truth. The bite of offenses, harms, and intentional or unintentional wounds of life do hurt, but I am grateful I have learned that I don’t have to let the poison of resentment and negativity have free reign. No one ever died from a snake bite.