A LESSON FROM A FROG TALE

A group of frogs were hopping contentedly through the woods, going about their froggy business,
when two of them fell into a deep pit. All of the other frogs gathered around the pit to see what
could be done to help their companions. When they saw how deep the pit was, the rest of the
dismayed group agreed that it was hopeless and told the two frogs in the pit that they should
prepare themselves for their fate, because they were as good as dead.
Unwilling to accept this terrible fate, the two frogs began to jump with all of their might. Some of
the frogs shouted into the pit that it was hopeless, and that the two frogs wouldn’t be in that
situation if they had been more careful, more obedient to the froggy rules, and more responsible.
The other frogs continued sorrowfully shouting that they should save their energy and give up,
since they were already as good as dead. The two frogs continued jumping as hard as they could,
and after several hours of desperate effort were quite weary.
Finally, one of the frogs took heed to the calls of his fellows. Spent and disheartened, he quietly
resolved himself to his fate, lay down at the bottom of the pit, and died as the others looked on in
helpless grief. The other frog continued to jump with every ounce of energy he had, although his
body was wracked with pain and he was completely exhausted.
His companions began a new, yelling for him to accept his fate, stop the pain and just die.
The weary frog jumped harder and harder and - wonder of wonders! Finally leapt so high that he
sprang from the pit. Amazed, the other frogs celebrated his
miraculous freedom and then gathering around him asked,
“Why did you continue jumping when we told you it was
impossible?” Reading their lips, the astonished frog
explained to them that he was deaf, and that when he saw
their gestures and shouting, he thought they were cheering
him on. What he had perceived as encouragement inspired
him to try harder and to succeed against all odds.
This simple story contains a powerful lesson. Your encouraging words can lift someone up and help
him or her make it through the day. Your destructive words can cause deep wounds; they may be
the weapons that destroy someone’s desire to continue trying - or even their life. Your destructive,
careless word can diminish someone in the eyes of others, destroy their influence and have a lasting
impact on the way others respond to them.