We have a little pond in our backyard. During the summer, it will dry out and I will clean the debris out of the bottom. A couple of months ago, I noticed it was almost dry. As I checked it, I noticed there were some tadpoles in the little pool that was left. Judging by the thin layer of water and how hot it was, I thought ‘well looks like today is the day tadpoles.’
Just as I was turning away, something caught my eye. I looked down into the puddle and saw two tadpoles next to each other. As I watched, one of them would swim away in a circle, then come up behind the other one and bump him. Then, the other one would take off, loop around, and come up behind the other one and bump him back.
The tadpoles were playing tag.
And it affected me deeply. I went and got the water hose, and that day and everyday for the next couple of weeks, til it rained, I kept a little water in the hole. For life.
I remember once hearing Clyde Lewis on his radio show talking about the salt on snail trick kids try out. If you pour salt on a slug or snail, it dissolves them. He poured salt on a snail, and he said the snail turned and looked at him, like ‘why did you do that?’
He said he felt terrible, like a big jerk. For taking a life.
All squishy for squishy things. What gives? I think it is the sanctity of life. All of us have that spark, the breath of life. Everything is connected, living in the power of the Creator. We are all kin, all creatures great and small with that same force, that same power, that same love.
If you feel that love, live in it, you will reverence and appreciate the Life in all things.
Have you ever heard about the various animal therapy programs? The connection between the living things, the power of the love that comes from the life is healing. Everything God put here is to teach us how to love.
And then you learn, what you give is what you get.
My despair over the tadpoles was amusing to my wife. It got me to pondering- little tadpoles did.
I wonder if the tadpoles weren’t really playing tag, but trying to get my attention. Desperately trying to be noticed- so that their plight might be revealed.
I know they are just tadpoles that had no idea the water was almost gone. But I like to think something else- that the tadpoles called out for help, they prayed for a miracle.
“Good Master, have mercy on us here. Please send water lest we die.”
That’s what I like to think.
Bondo- the real deal 