Blue Frog

I was not what one could call a "popular" child.  I like to think that my different interests lent me a different perspective on life, but really, being a music geek and an only child, I had no social skills.  And every playground has bullies.  Even if a punch is never thrown, girls can cut you to the core without ever lifting a finger.  I will also remember one bully in particular, who was my albatross.  I don't know if she was particularly mean, or just particularly talented at finding the exact right words to cut me to the core, but boy howdy did she.

When my grades started to drop, my mom asked me what was up.  I told her that kids were making fun of me at school.  She asked me what kind of things they were saying, and I told her.  Her response, "well honey, it wouldn't bother you so much if you weren't afraid it was true.  If they told you that you were a blue frog, what would you say?" I told her I would laugh.

Her point was well taken.  I realized that I needed to become comfortable in my own skin.  That way if people said something that was true about me, I would know that it was a part of me that I accepted, and if they said something I knew to be false, it would go in the same category of "blue frog."

I lost the concept of the blue frog today.  Someone said something to me that utterly shattered my peace of mind.  And I realized that it wouldn't bother me so much if I didn't fear it was true.  So, magnifying glass in hand, I'm going to perform a little omphaloskepsis today and see if I can't either decide to put those words in the category of blue frog, or perhaps make some changes so that those words no longer apply.

In the meantime, I urge you all to find your own blue frogs, whatever they may be.