Leap of Faith | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Leap of Faith | Previous Challenge Entry
By Donna Powers
01/26/17
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Kermit the Frog probably said it best.

Now, you can probably think of many more eloquent philosophers when it comes to summing up the basics of life, but for me Kermit's song about how tough it is to be green always reminds me of an important lesson I almost didn't get to learn.

You know me as Tianna: the princess who kissed a frog. I admit it: my first motives for kissing that frog were not unselfish. Of course, neither were Prince Naveen's. He'd been tricked by a voodoo witch doctor and turned into a frog. Seeing me dressed up for my friend Charlotte's masquerade ball led him to think I was a princess. He wanted to be human again, and thought kissing me would be his ticket back to the throne room.

If you know the story, you know I wanted to open my own restaurant. My father and I had planned and dreamed of opening a restaurant together since I was a little girl, and I thought I knew exactly how that dream was supposed to come true.

I'm a hard worker, and for the last several years I'd worked two jobs with a mindless intensity that left no time for enjoying the music and parties my friends had all enjoyed. Many friends – especially my childhood friend, Charlotte – encouraged me to “live a little.”

I just couldn't. All I could see is my goal.

So, when a slimy green frog began inexplicably talking to me, I got over my shock as soon as he offered me enough cash to pay for my restaurant. All I had to do was to kiss him.

Yup... kiss a frog. My first thought was, “ewww...” but then, cash in hand, I closed my eyes, wrinkled my nose in distaste, and kissed his green slimy amphibian lips as quickly as I could. But that wasn't the worst sensation I experienced that day.

Because I soon had slimy green amphibian lips of my own. Slimy green amphibian legs. Green amphibian arms, green back, green eyelids, green legs... and, well... you get the very green picture.

Instead of our kiss turning Naveen back into a prince, it'd turned me into a frog.

An, as Kermit said: it wasn't easy.

After I was done fuming, and after trying to go along with the plans of a gregarious alligator and a deluded firefly didn't get either of us any closer to regaining our humanity, I decided to make the most of our swampy situation.

And, there, in the swamp, I got to know Naveen. Beyond his posing and preening; beyond the sense of entitlement he'd gotten from his moneyless title, I got to know the true man within.

It was then I learned the true lesson of my unwanted froghood: the outside appearance of a person is irrelevant to who they are on the inside.

I thought God's plan for my life was clear as a bell. I had my nose firmly planted on the grindstone, and I'd never have taken it off. But God took my nose and dunked it into a swamp – along with the rest of me.

As for Naveen, God also had a purpose for him. God had plans that called for him to be humbled by becoming a frog. But, more than that: God also had plans for my life which included Naveen.

Yes, I hated being a frog. But I needed to become green in order to see how to look beyond the green.

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