Frogs

"It's not easy being green"
Kermit the Frog

Tonight the spring peepers were at full force -- a cacophony of sound, often compared to sleighbells.

We live at the edge of what we used to call a swamp -- then it became known as a wetland, but now I guess it is called a natural habitat. But really, it is just a big swamp. And the frogs are the first wetland creature to make their presence known in the spring by their distinct and deafening high pitched mating call -- direct from their concert venue -- the swamp. Sometimes called the "chorus frog" -- a single frog gives a single "peep" once a second. In concert it is unending noise or music, depending on your perspective. The intensity of the chorus strengthens on warm humid evenings or after a rain, when males congregate to find their mate. Only the males sing. Just a little over an inch long, their vocal sac is very large...which emits the loud "peep" with the discharge of air from the balloon like sac.

The metaphor of the spring peeper is that like the frog, we can only offer a short one second "peep" on our own...together, we can make deafening sound to call attention. So we must gather together in order to be heard on issues of great importance. Collectively we will be heard.

I couldn't resist sharing the Exodus passage on the plague of frogs...sometimes the sound of the peepers is so loud outside our window, it seems as if the plague of frogs is about to enter our home. In the book of Exodus, as a warning to the Pharaoh to release the people of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, ten plagues were sent. Frogs were the second plague.

If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs. The frogs will go up on you and your people and all your officials. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.' " So Aaron stretch out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.
Exodus 8: 2-6