I forgot to brag on myself!

It occurred to me that I forgot to mention one of my biggest accomplishments of the C. Island backpacking trip...

I faced my greatest fear. I did, indeed, against my deepest hope, see a snake on the island.

I felt that old familiar panic beginning to rise from my chest up to my throat, threatening to cut off my oxygen supply. Again, I felt that familiar vertigo buzzing around in my head and felt tears beginning to form in my eyes. I felt my muscles tense up and threaten to leave me in that catatonic state of panic, wishing to run, yet unable to move. The familiar nausea swept through my body. My mouth contorted into the familiar position that it does just before that familiar high-pitched scream escapes it....But that scream never came. And for the first time EVER in my life, I did not freeze, but continued to walk.

I could not believe it! It hardly slowed me down.

Okay! Okay! So the snake was extremely tiny. It looked like a fallen slither of palm leaf. I didn't quite realize what it was until I was just upon it. But damn it, it still counts! It was still a vile, wretched serpent, no matter the size and despite the fact that my mind barely had time to process what it was I was seeing until I was nearly past it already. It still counts!

That's one small step for overcoming phobias; one giant leap for Outdoorsy Girl's bravery.