Today's Lessons

I walked down to the lake behind our apartment today.  It's about a 1/2 mile walk, according to Google Map distance measuring.  I've been walking it several times a week now, for the last month and a half.  I go with my neighbor and we sit on the dock for a spell.  As we were getting ready to head back today, I took the binoculars and scanned the lake one time to see if there were any loons along the opposite shore line, hoping for just a glimpse before we left.

There were none to be seen.  While I was packing up my binoculars, one lone loon, did that call, that only a loon can, as if to say, "Hello!  I am here!"  I watched for a few minutes before it dove under.  Where it resurfaced is anyones guess.

I love the loon.  Some lessons, we can learn from the loon include loyalty (they mate for life), communication (what great orators they are), tranquility, serenity.  They are said to be symbolic of awakened imagination, hopes and dreams.

I also saw another (or maybe the same one again) phantom cranefly while sitting in my one butt spot by the pond.  The pond should not be confused with the lake just for clarification.  The pond is literally that, just a small, old farm/frog pond gone wild.  There are a couple of little foot paths in around it that we've worn this year with our nature study, and the one spot we use weekly, literally seats one, me, normally.  There is a lot of activity around the pond.  Dragonflies and hummingbirds both frequent it, as well as the frogs, and salamanders and baby fish that inhabit it.

Finally, this afternoon, while out mowing the lawn, a frog crossed my sons path.  He spared it from the mower and brought it in to me.  "Look Mom, I got you a frog."  Awe!!  The best part was, it wasn't our run of the mill green frog.  Though I'd have been equally as happy with one of those.  This was a rather large (full grown probably) pickerel frog.  I haven't seen one this size here or at camp.  Camp is not to be confused with the pond or the lake, but is on a larger pond, about 10 miles from home.  Are you beginning to see my affinity to water?  Should I mention that I also live about 4 miles from the Atlantic Ocean?

Back to the frog.  I think that of all the frogs, the Pickerel frog is asthetically my favorite.  And of course, there are lessons to be learned from our hopping friend as well.  Frogs inhabit mud, a combination of earth and water.  Think about all those fancy, expensive spas where people go for detoxifying mud treatments.  Frogs get it for free.  They remind us to detoxify.  They are symbolic of transformation (think about the process from egg to frog).  The are considered to be a sign of purity, fertility, healing transition and opportunity.  And of course for the Believer, we often use the acronym FROG, to remind us to Fully Rely On God.

And if you're like one of the little girls in one of my groups, you may even kiss a frog (or three) in an attempt to find true love.  It's so precious to see her in her innocence, kiss each and every frog we find.  

So there it is, my lessons, my visits, for today.  What did you see?  Do you have any idea what lessons it has for you?