A lesson from a Frog Tale...
A fictitious story with a lesson......
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 anew, 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 them
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.