Don't Frog My Toad

My husband and I have a shorthand that comes from the children's books Frog and Toad.

When one of us is feeling down, discouraged, or stuck, we'll sometimes say:

"Today I'm feeling a little Toad."

And when the other person immediately starts looking for the silver lining, we have another phrase:

"Don't Frog my Toad."

It usually makes us laugh.

But there's wisdom hidden inside it.

Sometimes when we're struggling, what we need isn't optimism.

We don't need someone to fix it.

We don't need someone to talk us out of how we feel.

We just need someone to sit beside us for a moment and acknowledge that what we're experiencing is real.

I've noticed that life isn't as simple as being Frog or being Toad.

Most days are some combination of both.

There are moments when I can see possibility.

And moments when I can't.

Moments when I need encouragement.

And moments when I simply need understanding.

Maybe that's why the story has stayed with me all these years.

Not because Frog is right.

Not because Toad is wrong.

But because there's room for both.