Sorrow. [Need shoulders to cry on]

[Vasiliki]

Our connection with animals can go deeper than most people imagine. I won't call you silly for mourning the disappearence of your scalie buddy, if you don't call me silly for the times I've cried over a hermit crab

I can echo the words of support that people have said already, but it might only offer temporary comfort in this frustrating situation.

When things like that happened to me (not identical, but situations that reflect similar behavior and emotions in myself), I found it was due to feeling like I wasn't in control, and feeling motherly/protective of something, and feeling like I failed. This would get me so wound up that I would get completely emotional over something that was beyond my control. And underneath it all was frustration, because I couldn't fix it, and I felt like it was all my fault that I couldn't fix it. But still I'd keep trying, which was really just beating my head against a wall.

Frustration is our desire to change something. When we can't change it, we become distraught.

There is a lesson here that he is teaching you, a lesson that maybe you needed to experience with full emotions so that you can learn to cope. I used to have very high anxiety, and I have worked with numerous co-workers who have all sorts of issues. My boyfriend's brother-in-law has PTSD as well. So it's something I'm familiar with being around, although most people don't realize how difficult it really can be for you.

Your snake is teaching you that there will be times in life that we cannot change something. As much as we want to, we have to learn to be stronger not by acting, but by waiting. It's the hardest wait in the world. We'll always sit and wonder: "If I did this, maybe I'd find him?!" You'll find yourself second guessing yourself, getting upset, feeling helpless. And you know what? It's okay to feel like that. It's okay to have a moment where you can't fix something, where we need to learn these hard lessons.

It's when we stop focusing on the negative can we start to accept things. Don't accept that he's gone, but you need to accept that he's just beyond your reach.

I'll go a bit fruity on you here, so if this isn't your thing, feel free to disregard... Animals, large and small, mammal or not, all have the ability to sense something beyond the physical sense. Whether it's a sixth sense or something else, they have a way of knowing or acting that is beyond 'logic'. Just like how some dogs find their way home over thousands and thousands of miles. How? Or how stray cats and dogs and birds and everything else will try to flee a city days before a massive earthquake. Just like those animals can show us there's more to them, there's more to your little guy as well. You've had rescues, so you probably know what I'm talking about when I say there's more to them than you can prove with science. People say they lack emotions, but maybe they just aren't listening or as open to it. Who knows...

Point being, if you've experienced something like that, then you know your little guy knows where you can find him. Some times a dog will run loose for a few days just for the sake of being 'free', but then comes home, happy as can be.

Don't give up hope, but neither should you put your energy and emotions into "I've lost him! It's my fault! He's never coming back."

It's okay. You didn't loose him. He was being a snake. Snakes do that. My corn snake escaped and came back with almost a look of: "Oh, you were looking for me?" If you focus on the negative, then negativity is all you will find. Focus on the positive, try to forgive yourself, know that it's okay and these things happen. You still love the snake. He's not gone forever. He's just gone for the moment. Smile. Take a day off from looking for him. Just take a break. It won't feel better overnight, but these are the building blocks where you can start to build yourself back up.

So I'm here to tell you that it's okay. You don't have to worry. Worry won't help him right now. But a calm, level head and taking a moment to yourself will.