Hop Frog Pond and the Power of Laughter

In honor of the spring peepers singing their songs this time of year, I want to share a story from when my son was little. Back then, we lived in Ohio and one of the things that Jacob loved was the frogs.

One of our favorite places to find them we named Hop Frog Pond (something from one of the stories we often read). It was in the middle of Hinckley Metroparks, off of one of the bridle trails. On this particular spring, I’d hiked over to the little pond by myself to check out the tadpoles, and I was horrified to see the pond filled with old tires! I couldn’t believe it.

Overcoming my fear of leeches and snakes, I waded into the water and began hauling the tires out of the pond. A thunderstorm was brewing in the distance, but I kept on, determined to save this beautiful little oasis. As rain slashed down, I rolled the old tires across the field, straining and slipping in the mud. I stacked the tires along the bridle trail, deciding that I’d call the park office and tell them about this travesty. I went home, feeling sore but also righteous, and left a message for the rangers.

The next day, in the teacher’s lounge, I told my fellow teachers what had happened. They were suitably outraged that someone had polluted a pond in a favorite local park.

You know what I discovered that night? The ranger called to say that the tires had all been returned to the pond.

Why you ask?

Apparently, the tires had been added intentionally to offer a habitat for the fish laying eggs in there.

So embarrassing!

I learned something important from that experience. My embarrassment made for an excellent story. Rather than keep it to myself, I shared it with the teaching staff at lunch the next day, bringing many of my colleagues to tears.

Which brings me to my teaching point for today. If you are faced with a tense or embarrassing situation, consider bringing in some humor. Laughter and fear can’t hang out in the same space. It can change even the worst situation into something better.

Wishing you a laughter-filled spring!