The Story of the Little Frog.
Once, there was a frog. No different from the other frogs. Green, small, and born with a penchant for leaping. Now this particular frog was spry as they come. His mother named Favro. He would hop, and hop, and he wouldn’t stop. He was so full of life and happiness that the other frogs often ostracized him, because to them, life wasn’t something to be so excited and happy about.
One night, around the pond an older frog told the young frogs a story.
”If a giant comes to love you, and gives you a kiss… then you can also become giant!!” his forelimbs raised in the air in an exaggerated gesture. Excitement spread in all of the young frog’s hearts.
”But beware!” The old frog warned, “Because the giants are dangerous! They can just as easily squish you, as kiss you.” A foreboding thought for the youngsters.
”I’m going to fall in love with a giant and get a kiss!” A young frog said in excitement as they leapt away from the old man’s storytelling.
”Me too!!” Another youngster echoed.
And sure enough, the young frogs found giants, fell in love, and got kissed.
All except Favro. He had done everything the others had done. He had hopped, peacefully onto the hand of a giant. He had croaked beautiful songs into the night. He had visited the giant, and brought the giant gifts. But the giant had never come to love Favro. The giant had never wanted to kiss him.
Favro was alone. He became sad, and unmotivated. The giant he had come to love, was no longer a part of his life. All of his efforts meant nothing. Even though he had done more than the other youngsters, he was the only one left alone. The only one still a frog.
And now, he saw his friends, happy as giants, and he himself was just a sad little frog.
What do you believe Favro did after this?
How would you feel, if you put in more work than the people around you, and got no results? Worse results?
You see, the world is like this for many people. Unfortunately, we are not all the same green little frogs. We are judged. By our skin, by things we can’t control. And life is laid out in a way that we watch others succeed while having done far less.
This system, instilling learned helplessness keeps people from swinging. It keeps people from taking chances. It stops people in their tracks. Not just for a moment, but for a lifetime. You must battle the things in your head, and in reality that tell you your efforts don’t matter. You must consciously decide that you won’t give in to this feeling of learned helplessness. Any day, your life change. Any chance, can be the one you take. Any moment, a new opportunity can arise. And it’s easy to not see them if you have only known failure.
If you are fortunate enough to have been one of the young frogs who got a kiss and became a giant, then learn compassion. You may stand on top of mountains in life, but we are all the same height when we lie down for the big sleep. YOU are the keeper of your own soul.
Thank you for reading.
Stay warm,
DC
