After answering the questions, it was determined that I am a frog.

Let me back up and explain that first sentence.

Last week, my dad, son, and I went to the Annenberg Space for Photography to see the National Geographic Photo Ark exhibition.  (If you are in the Los Angeles area, I highly recommend it.  The exhibit is on display until January 13th, 2019.  Joel Sartore’s photographs are astounding, and his mission is so inspiring!)

One part of the exhibit involved an interactive activity where visitors use a touch-screen to answer simple questions.  After making it known that I was an early riser and not a night owl, preferred a beach area to a snowy area, and would rather play with stuffed animals than video games, (there were other questions too), the determination was made that my Photo Ark animal was the Reinwardti’s Frog.

I’m not sure how I feel about being a frog.  (My son was also a frog; my dad was a toad).  

I think of frogs as slimy.  As bug-eating.  As noisy.  As the dead creature I had to dissect back in seventh grade biology class.

Though, when I read the paragraph explaining the “similarities” my animal and I shared, one line did stand out.  “… and when the going gets tough, you show your backbone.”

You don’t often think of frogs and their backbones.  And maybe people don’t always think of me as being tough either.  But if I’ve learned (and am still learning) anything during these years with a chronic medical condition, it’s that I am indeed tough.