What do you call a frog with no hind legs?
Unhoppy
Early in the pandemic, I had a Zoom gathering with some of my Physical Therapy friends.
A question was posed: What is one thing about you that we don’t know?
My answer was, I have a collection of frogs.
Anybody who has been in my clinic knows this is true. And if you look carefully in my home you will find a few frogs in every room. But, for whatever reason, these close friends did not know I had this frog collection.
Why do I collect frogs you ask? I really don’t know.
I remember having two graphic frog posters in my room as a kid. I even embroidered the frog image onto a t-shirt, which I never wore, but I still have it sitting in my drawer. Since then, frogs have just shown up in my life. I can’t even remember the last one I bought. I have frogs made in ceramic, in pewter, and concrete (for the garden); salt and pepper shaker frogs, gaudi frog from Barcelona, beanie baby frogs, stuffed frogs, a frog flashlight, small frog caricature trinkets, a frog coffee mug, and frog pins and earrings.
In some cultures, people who feel connected to certain animals call those animals their totems or spirit animals. According to the Spirit Animal website, For those who feel an affinity with the frog as personal totem, you may be at ease with the world of intuition, feminine energies, and the magic of nature and the elements. The ability to go from water to earth is characteristic of the frog. Those who have the frog as a spirit animal or totem might be inclined to walk between planes, whether they are physical, spiritual or emotional, and enjoy playing with the magic of life and nature. The frog is symbolic of transformation.
I find it interesting that frogs are symbolic of transformation. As a Physical Therapist, I help transform people from not-healthy to healthy. I’ve transformed myself from using traditional therapies to using intuition and healing wisdom (magic of life and nature) with non-traditional therapies. I believe that we are drawn to certain things for a reason. Maybe I was drawn to frogs as a child subconsciously knowing that they would support me in finding my natural aptitudes for healing.
What I do know is that each and every frog gift I receive is unique, fits my personality and brings me great joy.
Since the beginning of the pandemic a special couple, Jean and Larry Dean, have been sending me weekly cards with a page of silly jokes in them. Each week is a different joke theme: dads, pigs, computers, ants, music ….and, of course, frogs.
When does a joke become a dad joke?
When it’s fully groan.
I met Jean and her daughter, Denise, at a seminar over ten years ago.
At the time Denise, age 25, struggled with life’s challenges, personally and medically. Denise had epilepsy. Denise began to see me on a regular basis for IMT as well as traditional physical therapy. As her body and spirit began to heal, and her epilepsy better managed, Denise was able to think clearer and move forward with her life. She ultimately moved to Pittsburgh to attend school for her MSW, or Masters in Social Work. She completed school and eventually came back to Chicago to work and be near family. Tragically, three years ago, at the age of 38, Denise suffered one last grand mal seizure and passed away.
Over the years I have worked with both Jean and Larry for various ailments. And despite the long drive from Orland Park, they come to see me for physical therapy. They are always upbeat, give back to their community, and are willing to help others. They both are very involved in various non-for profit organizations including 4H, The children’s Farm at The Center and their church. Larry, as a CPA, even helped me set up Quickbooks for The Manual Touch.
Jean and Larry’s ability to continue to embrace life after the loss of their daughter and to use this time to brighten other’s lives is inspirational. I smile every time I open a letter from Jean and Larry, especially the one about frogs. Keep the letters and jokes coming!
What do you call a fake noodle?
An Impasta
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