Recommended by  Ken Nowack

Sometimes children’s books illustrate powerful stories that are as useful for our own lives as those of our clients.  My favorite story is called “The List” and is part of a 1972 classic by Arnold Lobel, featuring five stories about the friendship between Frog and Toad, exploring their relationship, discovering joy in their activities, and overcoming fears.

“The List” in Frog and Toad Together highlights their support and friendship being more important than rigid plans and the need for balance in life. Toad is a character who has a personality of being anxious, overwhelmed and finds comfort in order but his friend Frog helps him to be more flexible and appreciate being in the moment, taking life as it comes, and valuing what relationships mean over material things.  This is a story about Toad making a daily to-do list but after a strong wind blows the list away during their walk, Toad gets really anxious and upset because he can’t remember the other items, leading them to do be paralyzed and do nothing until Frog remembers that the final item was, “Go to sleep” that helps Toad have closure to a stressful day.

For me, the lessons from this short story are one’s that I not only try to apply to my own life but help clients to explore including: 1) Relationships are so important in defining meaning and purpose in our life; 2) Things turn out best for those who make the best out of how things turn out (John Wooden); and 3) Differences in humans should be understood, valued, and prized.