Frog foibles

On vacation last month we were at the Jones Falls locks on the Rideau Canal in Ontario Canada. I was talking to the upper lock master. We had just met up with the Wards and Allens who were downbound in a houseboat. As I talked with the lockmaster I noticed a medium sized frog hopping by my feet. It was in the grass and bounce, hop, bounce and then it bounded over the edge of the lock into the waters of the lock below. They had been lowered to receive the upbound boats. I laughed as it flew over and interrupted my conversation to see how it had fared in the 25 foot flight to the bottom. It had managed fine. On many days it would have swam to shore and done whatever frogs do. But, alas, one of the fish in the pool of the lock made it lunch and the last I saw of Mr. frog it's powerful hind legs were dangling out of the mouth of a bass.

Why was the frog hopping that direction? Was it afraid of me? Had it done this death defying leap before and liked it, coming back for more? Did it just not see what was ahead (the frog view is very limited by it's position on the ground in the grass)? We'll never know.

Life lessons? Frog has limited viewpoint, but it hops anyway. Having seen the frog trajedy would that remind me not to take risks? NO! I'll bet it was a glorious flight over the side of that lock wall. God gave me legs, that is what I do.... I jump.