I recently came across with this person who described herself as an ‘optimistic frog’. The term itself is already such a magnificent one, just a thought makes you smile! But it also has a deep and powerful meaning behind it. And oh how perfectly it defines me and my struggles through life.
Optimistic frog does not give up
I’ve always walked this life alone. I was indirectly taught that if you ever want something, you have to do it yourself. No one will ever help you. That was a bleak way to grow up but also that attitude did make me succeed in practically everything I did.
But willpower alone would never have been enough without the believe that everything will work out. Without strong optimism towards life and towards future in particular, I would not be where I am now. Nor would I have the strength to go where I am going.
So it’s not a surprise that this story about an optimistic frog resonates within me so well.
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl;
The one was wise, and a cheery soul.
The other one took a gloomy view
And bade his friend a sad adieu.
Said the other frog with a merry grin,
“I can’t get out, but I won’t give in;
I’ll swim around till my strength is spent,
Then I will die the more content.”
And as he swam, though ever it seemed,
His struggling began to churn the cream
Until on top of pure butter he stopped,
And out of the bowl he quickly hopped.
The moral, you ask? Oh, it’s easily found!
If you can’t get out, keep swimming around.
Power of the pessimistic frog
If we take this story literally, it’s not that bad. Pessimistic frog gave up and died. The optimistic frog had to continue living alone, fighting alone, but it kept fighting. And won.
The truly horrible version is the one where the pessimistic frog refuses to die. It just swims around in the pool. Not happy, but not willing to do anything to fight against the bowl. Just being content, without any dreams, without any hopes. Just floating around enough so that it disrupts the furious swimming of the optimistic frog. Disrupting just enough, so that the cream will never churn.
The point is to keep your eyes open. And when you encounter a pessimistic frog, don’t pet it. Kill it.