Questions, Reflections and a Joy

Tips for Jumping Your Toad!

One of the earliest memories I have of life in California is of the time honored Calaveras County Frog Jumping Contest.

The Nineteenth Century American author, Mark Twain, told a fictional tale about the competition occurring in the 1840s. The contest has become an actual tradition and continues to this today as a tourist attraction.

As a young boy, my family attended this yearly event when we lived near Sutter Creek, California. Mike, my little brother entered a toad into the race. Needless to say, his toad didn't qualify when examined and jumped by the contest official, who said, "Son, this is not a frog."

Unfortunately, there was no toad competition at the frog jumping contest either. So, we simply watched from the sidelines, with no frog of our own to "jump" and our toad resting quietly in the tin bucket. For years this incident was a comical "hoot" in our home, and I imagine my brother never forgot the experience. I haven't and I never let him. Yet, it holds beautiful lessons about life.

Jumping that toad was not a wasted affair. Indeed, it demonstrated initiative, faith, and character.
I believe applying this story to other situations in life is useful. A toad offered in ignorance as a jumper in life's frog jumping contest is better than a toad or even a frog passing the day in a tin bucket.

If you have tried to do a good thing and someone tells you, "Friend, Your toad is not a frog." Don't be bothered too much by the put down, for you have accomplished something. You have gained the useful knowledge that your toad is not a frog. You have also learned that leadership initiative learns from mistakes. You have taken a worthy risk. And next year, you will return to the jumping contest, enlightened by the earlier encounter, but with a frog in hand, ready to jump. On that day, you will confidently pull the frog out of that tin bucket and present it to the contest officials.

This was true for my brother Mike. We returned to enter his frog the following year. Friend, trying to jump a toad is better than doing nothing at all. Jump that toad! If things don't work out, you were still a leader of initiative. Good leaders are wise risk takers and all of them jump toads at some point in life. If every leader kept his or her toad in the tin bucket, nothing would get done. Jump them toads!

This story also shows us that life is never a perfect journey. We will all face obstacles, perhaps a difficult individual or a discouraging environment, pointing our hearts toward cynicism and dejection. Yet, it is possible to find one's way even in such conditions. It takes faith, the willingness to be vulnerable, and the decisiveness of a leader.

You may have brought a toad to that frog jumping contest. Your toad may have been denied entrance. But you did the right thing. For now, watch the race and learn; then get your frog in shape for the next event.