The Frog and I

I was passing a paving place (is that what you call them?) today, and right in the front they had a sign saying "Take Me Home", above a bunch of statues. I glanced at them, never really liking statues in my garden, then saw a meditating frog. It looked so peaceful, and it made me smile; as I sat at the red light, I wondered how much it was, and imagined where I would put it in my garden. But it was a frog, not the Dalai Lama, or some kindly gentleman in a complicated robe.

Apparently, meditating is such a trend right now, that everyone is doing it. I have always been one of those informal meditator's; I don't declare it from the rooftop, I try to do it often, but I sure as heck don't add it to my To-Do list (which is so funny to me - why would you add meditating to a list of things you have to do, potentially setting yourself up to fail? Isn't that creating more stress, which means you need more meditation?).

Anyway, statue's definitely don't create stress; love them, or hate them, no-one can be annoyed at a garden statue. They feel happy to me, and I always think it means that the owner is bold in their choices; not caring if they are judged, and wanting to express themselves in a very obvious way. I wonder if the same people have interesting rooms in their homes, declaring their style with lots of colorful personality and pretend concrete.

I know that some are for good luck, and many are a religious declaration, but others are just because they are cute to look at. I don't have one, but I imagine, if I went outside and saw a gnome every day, it would be a very good way to begin. Just a small gnome, hidden in the shrubbery.

Perhaps, this is why we need garden statues. To make us smile (and to remind us that even a Frog needs a quiet moment every now and again).

Photograph from Dutchmans Fountains catalog