Frogs (we favor the Red-Eyed Tree variety) are lessons in transformation, alchemy, contrast and camouflage.
What can we possibly learn from frogs in the arguably more complicated world of humans, where friends become enemies or lovers hemorrhage into life forms known as strangers or bruises of other unfamiliar names?
We can all look in the mirror at ourselves one morning and wonder where the heck WE went!!
Our life is a journey through stages, states and various stages of wholeness, fragmentation and reconstruction. The physical transformation of frogs from egg to water dwelling tadpole to land hopping froglet to reproducing frog seems simpler, and yet we can identify, even spiritually.
What? What on earth do frogs have to do with spirituality? Consider these analogies:
Egg/Tadpole = Orientation to God
Froglet = Disorientation/Confusion or perceived Separation from God
Frog = Return to or Reorientation to God (1)
Or:
Egg/Tadpole = resting the mind (the act of allowing)
Froglet = accepting the feeling (the act of receptivity)
Frog = trusting the healing process (the act of faith) (2)
The above similes are written with profound apologies, if necessary, and gratitude, to theologians all, especially Walter Brueggeman and Regina Dawn Akers. (need references here)
Non-sequiturs (Maybe. Really?) on the education of the Froglet:
Playground. Froglets’ favorite games might be hopscotch, leap frog or the monkey bars…the serious work of letting go and moving ahead/letting go and moving ahead/ letting go and moving ahead/ad infinitum (surely the necessary stuff of all growth).
Classroom. Then a shrill bell summons the little ones back to learn, where rigid conforming lessons are taught only to be un-learned later, or escaped through the masterful, camouflaged art of daydreaming.
After School. While waiting for their amphibious parental units, they could somersault and wrestle playfully with each other, practicing their grown up moves. They already have graduated from eating algae and grass to munching on flies and crickets, alas. ahhh, the Great Cycle of of Life…all in a day of a Frog’s Life.
Do the mama and papa frogs (read humans, felines, birds, antelopes, pine trees, bean sprouts. or anything YOU are passionate about) care for their offspring and others, or have they been programmed or poisoned out of their nurturing abilities? Is there evidence of some Higher Power that cares for all of creation, and so we all must follow suit?
In Christianity, we sing “Praise Him all creatures here below!”
In Buddhism, we chant: “I vow to save all sentient beings”
The future is now. Let us pray.