A Lesson in Courage and Strength

  I watch most of the critters on the Bayou and surrounding woods.  I like them.  I relate to them.  Somehow, I feel that we are kindred spirits. We live in peace and we help each other.  Each, in our own way, reach out to the others.  Yep, even critters have been known to lend a helping hand to those in need.  I have seen cardinals feeding orphaned mockingbirds, an owl and a hawk pairing together during hunts and even mama squirrels adopting orphan babies.  I try to help when I can without overly interfering with the course of nature.

  Back about two months ago, I decided to hike back behind the canebrake.  There are always some fun critter friends to  be found there.  Sure enough, I found a small green tree frog.  The poor thing was being attacked by ants.  I picked up the little critter,  brushed off its assailants and toted him to the Frog Pond.  There he could live in peace with the many other tree frogs.  He sat still in the palm of my hand and I was able to observe him well.  The poor froggy only had one eye.  This infirmity was not due to the ants.  Obviously, the poor fellow was born this way.  I figured the critter did not have much of a chance to survive but that did not stop me from helping it.  At least, I could get him closer to the pond.  I rinsed him in the cool water and lowered my hand so he could climb into the water hyacinths.  The little frog seemed grateful.  I bid him good luck and we parted ways.  

  Today, I found my friend again.  He seemed quite healthy and had nearly doubled in size!  Surely this little guy has been eating well!  He was still in the water hyacinths and was singing a fine serenade to some female green tree frog!  Well now!  My little friend did survive and was doing rather well for himself!

  The whole thing about this frog is the fact that he did not give up.  He could have fallen into the "Oh, woe is me!" trap that people often do but, instead, he plodded along and became as good a frog as any other in the Frog Pond despite his disability.  The frog had grit.  He had courage.  He had strength.  This frog was not about to sit back and bemoan the fact that he only had one eye, which in the froggy world is a pretty monumental disability.  Without perfect vision, it is hard to catch prey and even harder to avoid predators.  90% of people with a lot less problems would whine and complain and ask for handouts.  Not Mr. Frog!  He has a lot more fortitude than to let some infliction overcome him.  I learn a lot from critters.  No wonder I prefer them over people.