I remember playing hide and seek as a child.  I found the perfect spot between this bush (that was as tall as a small tree) and the house.  I remember standing there, breathless, waiting for my cousin to come around the corner.  I knew I would be able to see him, but he would not be able to see me.  I planned on making a break for home base as soon as he disappeared around the other corner again.

 

Then I got that weird feeling.  I was being watched.  My body froze and I cautiously looked a little to my left.  There, in the bush, was a small face with two beady eyes staring at me.  His tongue flickered only a breath away from my face. 

 

It was a harmless snake, but a snake, nonetheless.  I managed to get out of the suddenly-too-small space w/o disturbing my new little "friend."

 

Another time, I was sitting on a rock down at the creek.  I was enjoying the sound of the water rushing over the pebbles and the smell of the wind.  I remember being deep in thought about nothing in particular when suddenly that feeling pierced through my brain and chest.  I was being watched.  Again, I froze.  Then, slowly, I turned my head a little to the right and looked down.  Next to my hand was another brown snake, all coiled up and watching me. 

 

I wonder what it is with me and snakes?

 

So, here I sit today.  Half frozen and afraid to look around and refusing to post in my own blog.  I am being watched.  Preconceived notions and miscontrued concepts are my enemy.  For those watching (and you know who you are), know that I am not the evil person you might think I am.  Know that I am happier than I've ever been in my life, and my goal in life is to make sure my kids are happy and well adjusted, and that the man that I love is the happiest he's ever been in his life.

 

Sometimes I wish we had magic erasers for those preconceived notions.  What is it that they say?  "You never get a second chance at a first impression."  And it really sucks when that first, negative impression comes from another person, and not from self.

 

But such is life.