Snakes, nests and coincidences

This weekend, a friend and collaborator of mine was bitten by a copperhead. He stepped on it unawares, just before opening a ritual. He's now recovering, thank goodness.

Also, my beloved found an abandoned bird's nest behind our apartment on Saturday. It was beautiful---I've rarely had the opportunity to see a bird's nest close up.

Yesterday morning, I nearly stepped on a medium-sized snake as I was walking into my office. He/she got out from under my feet just in time, but we were both quite startled. It was the first wild snake I've seen in ages!

That afternoon, I found a small abandoned bird's nest in the parking lot and brought it in to my office. It's now sitting on my desk.

Today, my beloved found an abandoned snake skin lying next to the bird's nest in the back yard.

My friend, my beloved, myself: snakes, nests and coincidences.

My pagan mind wonders what it all means. I know that snakes often stand for wisdom and transformation, and nests function as incubators of new life.

Still, it seems strange and striking.