From the eyes of a frog

** Repost from June 2016

CRASH and vibration as the plough sank into the fertile mud of our home, a large swamp, all the inhabitants looked on in horror as the machine moved forward and we saw our life blood, water, starting to gush away. Our home had always had still water this allowed the reeds and grasses to grow and form a ring where the water and earth met and was where insects worms and aquatic life had happily lived. High in the rushes and reeds the dragonflies darted to and fro, spiders knitted together the swaying reeds and the water lilies seemed to float on the water and in spring would burst into the most beautiful yellow flowers. Speeding water beetles would dart in an erratic fashion amongst the humus which gave life to all the plants. From the treed forest around our water’s edge the fauna gasped in fear and shock the roos, wombats, rabbits , foxes, owls, kookaburras, swallows, so many more could be mentioned. All would have to move away, no more drinking water, food, shelter – nowhere to house their spring children no mud for the swallows to construct their nests.
US FROGS had lived here for many generations in what was just perfection – plenty of food and protection. We loved our neighbours and on moonlit nights we would put on a concert and sing to everyone and all around the swamp there were frogs who would join in. During the day time we would swim out to the floating lilly leaves to sunbake and smell the flowers sweet perfume. As I was growing up I spent many hours learning and talking to my grandparents, they had skills to pass on and I was eager to absorb their wisdom. My parents looked after me from when I was an egg waiting to be hatched and even more so when I became a tadpole, they taught me right from wrong, what was safe to eat and how to survive. Dad showed me his crippled leg where an owls claw had pierced the leg muscle, he was lucky to live. Mum always made sure I got the best food so I would grow strong and be able to have strong children when the time came.
PANIC everyone who lived here was dashing and darting escaping their destroyed homes. Mum and Dad said \”Hop away before you are killed.” I had never experienced fear before so I asked my grandparents what to do Granddad said when we were young disaster found us and we escaped to a little stream on the other side of this forest. We are too old to go with you and your dad is to crippled to go and your mum will never leave your father. Time heals everything and some day you may be able to come back, travel safely our future race depends on you.
Yes I was young and strong but with tears in my eyes I bounded into the unknown forest. It is much easier to swim than hop a long way over logs, bracken ferns and thick grass plus avoid the snakes and owls. I had hopped for two days before I found the little stream. I jumped in and relaxed my aching muscles then tried to find food and a safe place to hide – somewhere to be able to observe my new surroundings as I was scared and alone. It was not a place to be happy in, running water and very little still pools to relax in and food was very scarce also.
Two winter floods later as the last of the high water was subsiding, I was feeling very much alone when I saw some movement on the edge of the rushing water and heard a splash. I could not believe my eyes a beautiful green frog the same as my race slowly hopped towards me. She was so pretty, lovely big eyes, slim figure with long fingers and toes and I could not help but fall in love with her. We talked for many hours, could have been even a day or two, about how she escaped the SWAMP disaster and somehow found the same little creek and lived alone for two years also. We spoke of our parents and grandparents and what a wonderful home we used to have. Yes, we were homesick so we decided to take the risks and hop back for a look at our old happy home.
Hop, hop, hop, back through the forest we went, being careful of the dangers of predators and injury. It was just on daybreak when we reached the edge of our old home. Across the swamp I could see the burnt out shell of the farmers log hut (home) a blackberry plant was strangling the remains as if to make sure they never returned. The plough was overturned and broken it would never destroy our home again. Many of the former inhabitants were there that morning rejoicing that our Swamp was returning to its former beauty. The man-made drain that let the water out had become soft and collapsed stopping the water from escaping and with man’s interference gone nature was able to resume. All the plants and animals could rebalance and live in harmony together as they did once before. I remembered what my parents and grandparents had said with the passage of time nature will restore what is good. All the animals and insects decided that day to stay and look after all the plants and with patience restore our struggling home. Katie my lovely soul mate said to me we are going to stay as well, look there is water and some lilies growing, we will stay and have our family here we owe it to our species and our parents to start all over again.
During the next spring there was immense activity the water was a full capacity all the plants had revived somehow. There were flowers on the lilies spider webs and reeds water bugs and beetles animals came to drink once again. Swallows were digging out the mud, kookaburras were laughing and Katie and I were swimming and diving off the lilly pads.
It was a full bright moon and I was singing my solo song to all my friends, but I was stressed as Katie was nowhere to be found. We usually sang a duet after my solo great sadness entered my heart as I sat alone every one tried to find Katie. We looked everywhere, as daylight started to break we gathered together with heavy hearts. Then, with a noisy splash, Katie jumped onto my Lilly Pad and called out to everyone the frog species is assured I have just laid our eggs to hatch in a secret spot so they will be safe until they become tadpoles. So life starts again.
I then remembered my grandparents saying, when our home was being destroyed, “Put your faith in nature to restore everything.”