I have snakes, three sharks, moray eels, piranhas, five scorpions

The words of Tracy Morgan—“I have snakes, three sharks, moray eels, piranhas, five scorpions and a bird spider. All of them are predators. They are dangerous but it's cool to have strong and powerful pets”—at first sound like a mere boast of eccentricity, a comedian’s colorful remark about his exotic menagerie. Yet beneath their humor lies a deeper truth, one that speaks to the ancient spirit of humankind—the eternal fascination with power, danger, and mastery over the forces of nature. For what Morgan truly expresses is not pride in his collection, but reverence for strength itself—the primal energy that flows through all creation, both beautiful and terrifying.

From the earliest days, humans have sought to live alongside what they fear. The ancients tamed horses that could crush them underhoof, trained falcons whose eyes could pierce the horizon, and revered lions, serpents, and eagles as symbols of divine might. To dwell among predators is to stand near the edge of chaos—to recognize the wildness that exists not only outside, but within. When Morgan says that these creatures are “cool to have,” he echoes the voice of countless generations who have looked into the eyes of danger and felt awe rather than dread. To honor the predator is to honor the raw strength of life, the untamed pulse of existence that no civilization can fully conquer.

The origin of these words lies in Morgan’s own character—a man who has faced hardship, laughter, and survival. His world of predators reflects not only his love for the strange and strong but also the nature of his own spirit: fierce, unpredictable, and unwilling to bow to fear. Each of his creatures—snakes, sharks, eels, scorpions—symbolizes an aspect of power, stealth, and endurance. To live among them is to live with a constant reminder that the world is dangerous, but that danger, when respected, can inspire rather than destroy. His statement, though casual, becomes a metaphor for resilience: to coexist with what is strong and perilous, yet remain at peace within it.

The ancients would have understood this deeply. The warriors of Sparta kept wolves and lions as emblems of courage; the Egyptians worshiped the cobra as the guardian of kings. Even in myth, the hero must first face the beast before mastering it—Heracles slaying the Nemean lion, Perseus taming the winged Pegasus, Gilgamesh wrestling the Bull of Heaven. In each story, man’s greatness is proven not in destroying the beast, but in understanding its strength and finding harmony with it. So too does Morgan’s menagerie stand as a parable for our own inner struggle: the beasts we fear outside are mirrors of the predators within—anger, pride, desire, and ambition. To live wisely is to train these inner beasts, not to kill them.

One might recall the story of Saint Francis of Assisi, who tamed a ferocious wolf that terrorized a village. Where others saw only a monster, Francis saw a creature driven by hunger and fear. He approached it not with weapons, but with compassion, and the wolf, recognizing peace in his heart, became gentle. This story, though centuries old, reflects the same lesson hidden within Morgan’s modern words: that to live among predators—whether they be beasts, men, or emotions—requires not force, but understanding and balance. To master strength is not to dominate it, but to coexist with it wisely.

Thus, Morgan’s quote may be read as a reflection on power and responsibility. His pets, symbols of danger and might, remind us that strength untamed is chaos, but strength guided by respect becomes harmony. The ancients would have said that every powerful man must learn to keep the serpent coiled and calm, lest it turn upon him. It is not wrong to admire strength—it is wrong to worship it without wisdom. True mastery lies not in control, but in reverence—in the recognition that life’s most dangerous forces are also its most sacred.

So, my child, take this lesson from Tracy Morgan’s strange and vivid words: do not fear power, but learn to live with it wisely. In your life, you will encounter many predators—within and without. Anger, ambition, temptation, and pride will circle you like sharks in deep water. But if you learn their nature, if you respect their strength, they will not devour you—they will serve you. Keep your courage, but temper it with humility; embrace the wild, but never lose the calm. For only those who can stand beside the beast without trembling have truly mastered the art of living.

Thus remember the wisdom hidden behind laughter: “They are dangerous, but it’s cool to have strong and powerful pets.” These words remind us that to be alive is to dwell among powerful forces—love and fear, creation and destruction, strength and fragility. The wise do not run from them, nor do they chain them—they walk beside them, knowing that within danger lies the pulse of life itself.