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Frog Appreciation Day

February 16, 2005

A middle-aged man is sitting in a bar, alone with his beer. A frog hops up onto the stool alongside. To his astonishment, it starts talking to him.

 

"If you pick me up and kiss me," says the frog, "I'll turn into a beautiful woman."

 

The man picks up the frog and puts it into his pocket.

 

"Hey, aren't you going to kiss me?" complains the frog. "I'll turn into a ravishing woman and you can have me all you want."

 

"Nah," replies the man. "I'd rather have a talking frog in my pocket."

Wise man. He knows that the key to happiness is to want what you have. Most of us spend our lives doing the opposite: wanting what we don't have. Then, when we get it, we're happy, right?

Linda Breen Pierce spent three months in a Senegalese village. It had no running water or electricity, and was in the first year of what proved to be a seven year drought. Malnutrition, skin ulcers and other medical problems were rife. And yet the villagers:

... were more joyful, vibrant, fulfilled, and loving than 95% of the American people I have known, including myself... Somehow, in spite of all of life's challenges and disappointments, these people had a greater sense of well-being, a more intimate and rewarding community life, a deeper spiritual awareness and more joy and fun in their lives than any other people I've come to know.

Gotta feel sorry for these poor folk. No-one ever told them that happiness is impossible without a 42" plasma TV.

On the other hand, they didn't need to read TIME magazine's "Eight Steps Toward a More Satisfying Life" (in the recent feature on "The Science of Happiness") to learn about the first step. Count your blessings.

Excuse me now. I have to rush off and buy a ride-on lawnmower. With that, my life will be complete.