Scorpion and the Frog

Change is difficult in nature. Change requires the ability to stop what was done before and commit to doing it differently. Change causes growth in many ways. Change requires a decision to learn something new. Change doesn’t always work. It doesn’t work because of how hard it is to change. The easiest thing to do when trying to change is to revert back to what you’ve always done. By reverting, you forget about the intention to change and fall back into what’s most comfortable. In this comfort, you forget about the change you are trying to make and accept that doing the easy thing is what feels the best.

There is a lesson about change in the fable of the Scorpion and the Frog. A scorpion is trying to cross a river but cannot swim. The scorpion sees a frog and asks if it can ride on the frog’s back to get across the river. The frog hesitates because it’s afraid the scorpion will sting them. The scorpion promises that they won’t sting the frog because if it does, both the scorpion and the frog will drown in the middle of the river. The frog accepts this reasoning as valid and agrees to transport the scorpion across the river. Halfway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog and dooms both of their lives. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it stung even though they knew the consequences and the scorpion replies, “I am sorry, but I couldn’t resist the urge. It’s in my character.” The frog doomed itself by trusting that the scorpion would change. The scorpion doomed them both by its inability to change.

Are you the frog in this situation? Are there people in your life that you have given one too many chances to? Are you too trustworthy even though they have shown you time and time again that they will not change? Do you believe in people and see the good in them to a fault that causes you self-harm? If you are the frog you may need to consider that the “scorpions” in your life are what they are. You may need to consider that these people are not people who will change—that these people aren’t people who are going to be positive in your world.

Or are you the scorpion in this situation? Have you tried to change multiple times and found yourself reverting back to what you’ve always done? By reverting are there people in your life who you’ve hurt, backstabbed, or caused discomfort to? By reverting to be “the scorpion” how much pain, shame, and embarrassment do you feel when you look in the mirror? When is it enough to realize that your identity as the “scorpion” will not change until you fully dedicate yourself to the idea of change?

Change is difficult but it’s not impossible. There will undoubtedly be times when you are the frog in life and others when you are the scorpion. If you’re the frog, continue to help when and where you can but ultimately don’t doom yourself. If you’re the scorpion, realize what you are. Realize the damage you are causing others and yourself and push to escape the mold of being the “scorpion.”