As you read these excerpts, please keep in mind that The Golden Frog is a compilation of the actual life experiences of the author. More than just a novel, ever-increasing insights into the profound mysteries of life are revealed as the reader reflects on the words and experiences of the characters.
The first few chapters of The Golden Frog revolve around the early childhood experiences of Nathaniel and Bruce.
From Chapter 1 - Memory's First Images
I remember knowing he was there, my best friend Mathew’s little brother Nathaniel, tagging along with the neighborhood gang. I was nine. He was three years younger, shy, quiet, and just a little odd. For most of that hot summer in Columbus, Ohio, Nathaniel was only a small detail.
But that changed the day our gang wandered onto the Scioto Country Club golf course. We knew we were not allowed, but that didn’t matter. It was too alluring—a calculated risk—and we took it. Bewitched by the sweet-smelling lawns, we ran up a fairway and onto the green where we whirled about to the rhythm of the cascading creek behind us. Then we made our way over the arched stone bridge that spanned one end of a pond encircled by weeping willows, and threw stones at a bobbing turtle, testing our ability to drive him back into the water.
We spotted blackberry bushes along the banks of the creek that fed the pond. We moved closer. Despite my warnings we might be discovered, everyone descended like locusts on the fruit. Vying with each other for the most berries, laughing, we wore juicy stains on our clothes, hands, and faces as badges of conquest. It was another summer adventure. Lost to the frenzy, none of us noticed Nathaniel was missing.…
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Over the years, as Nathaniel's understanding of life deepened, he began to share what he learned with others. In the beginning, the process was not always smooth...
From Chapter 28 - The Best Medicine
"If a physicist was here to give a talk on quantum mechanics, no one would hope for more than a glimmer of understanding from his short one-hour talk." The tone of Nathaniel's voice conveyed his sincere effort to carefully elucidate. "This is true of almost any field of life: biology, economics, mathematics, you name it. It seems the only exception to that is spirituality. We tend to believe we can understand any spiritual perspective with ease. The truth is the opposite. Spirituality is the last and most challenging field to understand, not the easiest."
"You don't know who you're talking to." The man was almost shouting. "I've been studying spirituality for over thirty years. I take a little piece from one teacher and a little piece from another, and put it together for myself."
Nathaniel stopped pacing, and with a pensive look on his face, slowly turned to the man. In a sincere and sorrowful tone, he said, "How unfortunate that you've been looking for so long, and in all those years never found a competent teacher."
The man bristled and started to speak again, but if you watched the film carefully, you could see his female companion reach over and grab his arm to stop him.
Nathaniel continued. "The state of unity isn't readily attainable. Comprehending it intellectually counts for very little. It's a state of consciousness that's cultivated over time. The path of that cultivation is very delicate and easily misunderstood. That's why it's referred to as 'the razor's edge' or 'moving through the eye of the needle.'…
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Another endearing character in the novel is Joseph who offers his own form of quirky comic relief.
From Chapter 32- Joseph
Leaning back in my kitchen chair, a cup of chai in hand, I felt myself shifting into psychotherapist mode. "So Joseph, tell me more about how you met Nathaniel."
He grabbed a towel and began wiping the counter. "Like I told you, I met him at Nancy's school. But the first time I attended one of his public lectures was in San Diego. I thought it would be a good place to meet girls." Joseph let out a thundering laugh.
"Why did you decide to travel with him?"
Joseph looked down and continued to clean the counter. "Well, my dad always used to say we should leave the world a little better off than we entered it. He and my mom used to protest nuclear power and almost everything else. That didn't work very well, so I decided to do this."
"Can I ask what you do for money?"
"Well, the way I see it, nature abhors a vacuum. So I spend money, create a vacuum, and nature always figures out how to fill it." He let out another loud laugh. "What I do is help out Nathaniel however I can. I figure anything less than saving the world is Mickey Mouse."
We both smiled.…
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In Chapter 48, Ashley and Tara were reflecting about their lives, trying to make sense of everything. Ashley made a casual comment and this is Tara's response:
…Tara pushed a little twig off the stone wall and into the rushing water below. Watching it float down the creek and away, she sighed. "If only life were that simple."
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