Team Frog

My apologies to those of you with butterfly tattoos…

“Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly”

This is a wonderfully inspiring conglomeration of words- especially for someone going through a separation or divorce.  People in the throes of such a transition need to be reminded that change can be good.  But why is the butterfly our go-to animal for transformation?  Why not the frog?

I suppose it’s because butterflies are prettier- even their name is pretty.  And maybe also because they can fly.  Butterflies are elegant, sure… but they’re also delicate.   They’re fragile.  They don’t live very long.  That powdery stuff comes off their wings when you touch them.   And that magnificent transformation?  It takes place conveniently in a cocoon, hidden away from the rest of the world.

Although many want to identify with the butterfly, I prefer the frog…

Like those of us who go to work even though we feel destroyed, the tadpole doesn’t hide under the covers.  As the days pass, the adolescent amphibian makes constant adjustments to accommodate for the closing of its gills, growth of its legs and subtraction of its tail.  Some onlookers point fingers and laugh, others rush in for the kill.

As the adult frog takes shape, it discovers incredible strength in its new legs.  The frog can now hop on land and explore new places.  No longer is this animal silent and sperm-like (incomplete?), it now possesses the ability to sing its own unique song:  a melody both loved and loathed, yet too loud and purposeful to be ignored.

Frogs are strong, vocal and versatile.  They can hold their own in the water as well as on land.  And, without wings, the down-to-earth frog experiences and appreciates the world in all of its mucky grandeur.

In addition to being a symbol of transition and rebirth, the frog is also identified with luck, creativity, intuition, opportunity and healing.  Who wouldn’t want to embrace the essence of this creature during times of turbulent change?

Oh, and… frogs eat butterflies 😉