#949 Nietzsche on Shedding One’s Skin

This morning I hit the Trail for a super easy recovery day walk-hike.

As I was cruising along enjoying the astonishingly perfect blue skies set behind the equally perfect brown-green landscape, I saw a lizard.

Now, this was a funny-looking lizard.

At first glance as he scurried by, it looked like he had tried to eat a piece of tissue paper or something. He had these weird white thingies stuck to his body.

On closer inspection, it became obvious that he (or was it she?) was shedding his skin.

Fascinating.

I knew snakes shed their skin. Didn’t know lizards did. But, I guess that makes sense with them both being reptiles and all, eh? 🤓

At which point, Nietzsche entered my mind.

We’ll get to that in a moment.

First, let’s see what Google has to say in response to “do lizards shed their skin?”

First response: ”As reptiles grow, they shed their skin to allow for further growth. However, unlike our skin, a reptile’s skin doesn’t grow as they grow. Instead, snakes, lizards, and other reptiles shed their skin regularly, when their old skin is outgrown. It peels away, leaving behind a reptile-shaped shell.”

Fascinating.

Now, back to Nietzsche.

As it turns out, he basically says the same things about humans.

In Thus Spoke Zarathustra he tells us: “Shedding one’s skin. The snake that cannot shed its skin perishes. So do the spirits who are prevented from changing their opinions; they cease to be spirit.”

With that thought occupying my mind, I took another moment to marvel at my little lizard friend and his process of shedding his skin.

Then I smiled as I reflected on the fact that I, too, am midway through a little skin-shedding process.

Are you?

That’s Today’s +1.

Here’s to being willing to shed some skin in the spirit of growth, lest we cease to be spirit.

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