Surfing Frogs

Last summer, my parents' pool became a favorite lounging spot of three frogs. They became known as Archie, Mehitabel and Linda. Sometimes they would sun themselves at the edge of the pool, sometimes they would hide at the bottom and swim up to the surface to check us out, sometimes they would get stuck in the filter. Archie especially enjoyed surfing on the chlorine thingy. Occasionally he would manage to surf on a noodle, though that often required a bit of log rolling and Archie was mostly lazy.

As the summer worn on, I grew increasingly attached to our froggy friends. They developed, or rather I developed on their behalf, complicated backstories and relationship dynamics. Their stories populated my mind and kept me from going insane while working retail and waiting for my life to get back on track.

I'm not sure what brought the frogs to mind tonight, perhaps just a bit of homesickness. The thing about the frogs that inspires me is that they really didn't belong in the pool. There was a frog friendly pond a few feet away, but every morning they made their way from the murky pond into the sparkling waters of the pool and made it a better experience for all of us. I suppose we could have made it inhospitable for them. They really didn't belong in a pool. I worried about how the chemicals would impact them, but when someone is willing to risk everything for the chance to surf, how can you not welcome them into your life? 

I think what Archie, Mehitabel and Linda represent for me is the possibility that comes when you are open to the wacky, to the unexpected, to the stranger, even the green ones that might give you warts.