A-Fraidy Cat - A Confession

Yep, I am. I have struggled with a fear of one tiny little thing my whole life. Know what it is? FROGS and TOADS. Yes, dear readers, you now know a Pagan who is afraid of these creatures. Why? Because for as far back as I can remember, my mother was afraid (terrified actually) of them also. I guess I could blame it on mother, but she isn't the only one to blame. In grade school there were boys in my class who would catch us girls on top of the "big" slide and throw toads at us. They would land on the slide as we were going down and inevitably, we (in our lil' dresses or shorts) would SLIDE right over them! It still makes me shiver. Needless to say, this didn't help me out in the least. So today, I am still terrifed of toads and frogs. Especially the little green ones that cling to windows and such. I can remember a time when I was traveling into town, had both my daughters buckled in their carseats and looked down at the steering column of the truck. There sat a lil green frog. I immediately stoped the truck on the side of the highway, got out and flagged down the next passerby. I didn't care if they were Jack the Ripper as long as he/she got that frog out of my truck! And he did.

It's silly I know. I have tried to overcome my fear, but to no avail. There is no way I'd ever touch one. And those times that one has touched me, I've either cried, screamed or come close to fainting. Give me a snake or spider anytime, just no frogs or toads. Even photos, like the one above absolutely makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I know they aren't going to harm me. I know they do good deeds. I know they are part of our beautiful World of Nature. Pagans aren't supposed to be afraid of anything.

I am!

My mother was and is still afraid of birds. I LOVE birds - all birds. If only frogs could look more like......birds.....or turtles....or......cats. In case you were curious about the photo above, it is a waxy monkey frog (Phyllomedusa sauvagaii), which lives in the dry Gran Chaco regions of Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. Thankfully, not in MY backyard.

Many blessings!