What the Snake Revealed

Sometimes the smallest disruptions reveal the biggest truths.

1 Story

What if the snake had bitten someone before it scurried off?

That question crossed my mind long after the excitement had passed.

It started with our on campus mental health counselor.

She spotted a tiny snake in the bathroom just before anyone else walked in. The snake darted into a corner, and she immediately found one of our custodial team members, who contacted Facilities.

Facilities arrived with one of those snake-catching tools...only to discover that having the tool and knowing how to use the tool are apparently two different skill sets.

The snake took advantage of the learning opportunity.

It slipped away.

Its last known location?

Inside a toilet.

For a brief period, the college had an unidentified reptile on the loose, and an entire bathroom became prime real estate that absolutely no one wanted to visit.

As the updates spread through the office, everyone adjusted accordingly. We warned one another, avoided the bathroom, and waited for the professionals. Campus security contacted U.S. Pest Control, who came to inspect the area, check the traps, and make sure our unexpected visitor hadn’t invited any friends.

The most likely explanation? Someone had left an exterior door open.

In New Mexico, that’s sometimes all the invitation wildlife needs.

The snake eventually became a funny story.

But it also reminded me how quickly an ordinary day can become something entirely different and how much we rely on one another when it does.

1 Question

Think about one unexpected moment from the past few months.

Instead of asking, “How did I handle it?” Ask:

“What did it reveal about the community around me?

1 Challenge

This week, notice one moment when someone quietly makes your work, family, or community stronger.

Tell them.

The strongest communities aren’t built only during extraordinary moments. They’re built through ordinary appreciation.

Three ⚡️ in 31 Seconds

⚡️ Nearly 80 years of the Harvard Study of Adult Development has found that the quality of our relationships is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health and well-being.

⚡️ Dave’s family has gathered at the same cabin in the Black Hills for nearly 40 years. The place has remained remarkably familiar, even as every generation has changed. The traditions that endure are rarely sustained by one person. They last because people keep choosing to show up for one another.

⚡️ Repeat after me…My power begins within me because I am the first place change becomes possible. When I recognize my value, use my voice, and make intentional choices, I move from waiting for permission to actively shaping my life. But my power does not end with me, because every boundary I set, truth I speak, and door I open can make it easier for someone else to recognize their own.