A HOPEFUL HOP
Two little frogs were playing joyfully in a marshy land. They hopped and
leaped but slipped and fell into a deep pit. They yelled for help and jumped
again and again to get out of the pit. But they failed every time. Hearing
their scream, several frogs assembled and looked into the pit. They watched the futile attempts of the
fallen frogs to escape from the pit. Seeing the depth of the pit and losing all
hope, they told the frogs in the pit that it was meaningless to go on jumping
and wasting their energy as it was impossible to escape. They said that the
best option was to stop jumping and remain in the pit awaiting their fate. Some
senior frogs looked at the sky and found some dark clouds. They suggested that
the fallen frogs may wait in the pit for a probable rain which may fill the pit
with water and make their escape possible. They warned that they should be
ready to meet their fate if the rain is late.
Hearing these discouraging
comments from the elders, one frog became depressed. He lost all hope and gave
up without any more attempt. Accepting failure, he lay down at the bottom of
the pit, completely exhausted and awaiting his fate in bitter silence.
The other frog continued his attempt by
jumping repeatedly with full confidence and increasing vigour, in spite of the
adverse comments from the seniors. He reached higher and higher with every
attempt and finally jumped out of the pit successfully. He was greeted with
great applause. The frogs asked him why he tried to jump repeatedly ignoring
their discouraging words and warnings. He told them, " My ears are very
weak and so I could not understand what you shouted from above. I thought you
were applauding my attempts and were encouraging me to continue jumping. Your
sounds and gestures boosted my confidence and so I could succeed at the end.
Thank you very much." By his inherent deafness he mistook their adverse
advice as appreciation and applause. That led to his success.
An
encouraging word has magical powers. It can work wonders. But a discouraging
comment may lead to destruction of initiative and a final failure.
Let us
encourage and strengthen each other.
The Book of Proverbs says that
death and life are in the power of the tongue: "What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept
the consequences of your words" {Proverbs 18: 21}.
"Thoughtless words can wound as
deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal" {Proverbs 12: 18}.
"Intelligent people think
before they speak; what they say is then more persuasive" {Proverbs 16: 23}.
......................................................................................................
© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of
Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof.
Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally and
Leo. S. John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally,
Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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