Are You a Croaker or A Leaper?
By Pamela Perry Blaine
 

We don't often think about the effect that our words have
upon others.  Our words do have power and everything that
we say has a positive or negative impact on the people
around us.

There is an old story that is told about an army* of frogs
that went hopping through the forest one day when two of
the frogs suddenly fell into a deep pit. 

All of the other frogs gathered around the hole to look
down on their two fallen comrades.  They all began to sadly
shake their heads and to croak out dismal warnings.
 
"It's too deep!" croaked one frog.  Another frog croaked
that there was no way that they would ever be able to get
out of that pit alive.

The two fallen frogs began to continuously jump as they tried
to get out of the pit, but the frogs that were watching kept
croaking louder at them that they might as well stop because
they were as good as dead and just wasting their time.  

One of the two frogs finally gave up and heeded the pessimistic
advice of the frogs at the top.  He quit leaping and literally
"croaked" and died.

The other frog just kept right on jumping and leaping harder
than ever in spite of all the loud croaks of disapproval from
the frogs around the top of the hole. They kept croaking shouts
at him to quit jumping and save himself from all the pain and
suffering he was incurring as he leaped and fell back down to
the bottom of the pit over and over again.
 
Finally, he jumped even harder than ever and to the surprise of
all the other frogs he leaped right out of the deep pit. 

The other frogs asked him, "Why did you keep leaping even though
we croaked and yelled at you to stop?"  It was then that the frog
explained to them that he was deaf and he had thought they were
cheering for him and shouting  words of encouragement to him the
entire time!
 
A little encouragement can go a long way and as Babe Ruth once
said, "It's hard to beat a person who never gives up."

Our words do have the power to hurt or to heal.  What kind of
frog are you?  Are you a croaker or a leaper?

As for me, I am a leaper...I never give up because I know I am a winner! If I can not get it done one way I will try another way, and I will keep on trying until I succeed because I know there is always a way. As the old saying goes, "Where there's a will there's a way!" and I definitely have the will!

Ask yourself today, 'Am I a leaper or a croaker?' Let's hear your answer.

God Bless You All,

Love Marilyn

Hello Marilyn,

My first thought was 'I am just a frog'......then I thought 'I am a leaper' but sometimes I 'croak'....after all 'I am human'......  I just do the best I can with what I have and strive to do better when I can....

Thank you Marilyn!

I needed that. I too am a leaper. But sometimes I forget and need a little pushing.

Carrie

Hi Marilyn

I would say, that I am definitely a leaper...

I have been attempting to post on a similar topic, about how people say "you can't do that", and alot of folks just give up, because of it.

I, for one do not give up, until I have exhausted all my resources.  And then I usually, back up, re-group, and go at it a different way. But,  I never give up.

Thanks for sharing this story, because it just helps to remind me and others, where there is a will, there is a way.

Bj