Are You an Ocean or Well Frog?

Sufi Parable Finale

There is a reason I am borrowing Spyder’s titles word-for-word.

I gave Spyder the maximum claps because he nailed it. I hope I have too.

The wonderful thing about these parables is it’s like my uncle’s parable starring the young couple, the mother/mother-in-law, and the rabbi: “you’re right young lady;” “you’re right young man;” exasperated mother: “first my daughter’s right, then you say that husband of her’s is right, how can they both be right?”

“You’re right!!”

I see the Ocean Frog as open to the wonders of the universe. I see the Ocean Frog as realizing that there is so much it does not understand and willing to learn so much. I see the Well Frog as closed-minded; there is only one possible right answer to anything in the Well Frog’s world and any suggestion of an alternate truth causes a meltdown.

I see the world outside Medium as 95% Well-Frogs. I see KTHT and other poetry-centric publications as 100% Ocean Frogs. I have found a place on Earth where I am not alone on an island in the sea of humanity.

Thank you for opening up my mind to poetry and its vast and unlimited potential.

I was going to take a few days and write a skit starring Greg-the-ocean-frog and Mommy-the-well-frog but I realize we all know how that story goes so what will be learned more than what Spyder and I have said and certainly it will upset me.

On the other hand, there is a happy ending about which I’ve been daydreaming. It may seem dark. Certainly, today’s mommy would think so, but stick with me for a moment and I can take us directly to the ultimate scene.

Those not familiar with my cancelation of my father can hit this hyperlink. I do not want mommy to agree with me. Why would I want her to stop loving him — that would hurt her. I wish she could be her own person and be Switzerland and realize that by refusing to accept that I can have a truth different from hers that she is once again choosing him over me and that I am not asking her to choose me. But, she is a Well Frog.

Fast forward to her death bed. I arrive and she clears the room. She takes my hand and is having trouble speaking over the emotion. She’s sorry. I was right that within her she always knew the truth but she can only see that now. She still can’t bring herself to hurt him here on earth by telling him or my sisters that she knows. “But believe you me Greg, when that fucking bastard gets to Heaven he’s going to wish he never met me — hell hath no fury like a mother who had her beautiful son taken from her.”

And so Nancy went to Heaven, had a great life review, and is on her way to being an archangel. Light! Not dark.

(and this is the flip side of how one balances acceptance and personal growth — here they are not mutually exclusive)

Love to KTHT,

YG