I find it gratifying.
Whether it’s cooking, sewing, or something similar, I find an added pleasure in creating with leftover materials that would otherwise have been wasted.
In this case, knitting, a hobby that Cortázar defined as “a good excuse to do nothing.” Recently, I found a box full of colorful yarns, leftover from bears, elephants, and owls.
How could I get rid of those yarns creatively? That’s where the idea of knitting a snake came from.
It couldn’t be easier: a very long tube until I ran out of yarn.
I got to work, and as I rhythmically moved the needles, I was taken over by the deep mystical meaning of the snake.
I allowed myself to be invaded by its sweet venom and decided to dedicate each color of yarn to these fascinating creatures.
Red for Leviathan, the biblical serpent, symbol of chaos. Related to the one who tempted Eve in Genesis, and yes, the chaos that ensued.
Green for Quetzalcoatl, the “feathered serpent” of Aztec mythology, representing the duality of heaven and earth.
Midnight blue for the Wood Serpent, corresponding to 2025, according to Chinese culture, a symbol of intuition and transformation.
Purple for Sisiutl, the Sea Serpent, a guiding spirit of healing, according to our Canadian Aboriginal cultures.
And so, I went on repeating colors for the scales of my friendly serpent.
When I ran out of yarn, I felt enormous satisfaction
I began to stuff the snake, and that’s when I remembered the anecdote at the Serpentarium in Parque del Este in Caracas with my very British husband, who learned a useful Venezuelan new word.
After wandering through the exhibit, surrounded by anacondas, rattlesnakes, corals, and boas, almost at the exit, there was a mirror.
There is no Venezuelan woman who can resist a touch-up, and so I did. My husband and I noticed the legend beneath my reflection:
CUAIMA
DOMESTIC SNAKE
Amidst memories, laughter, and pleasure, I finished my work and this chronicle, also made from scraps.
Today she shares her “impulsive meditations” from Calgary, Canada, where she lives.
leonorcanada@gmail.com