Kermit the Frog is a Muppet created by the late Jim Henson. He was first introduced to audiences in 1955.
Dear Kermit the Tadpole,
This may come as a shock to you, but . . . I miss my tail. Oh, I know how you feel.
But for now, enjoy being a tadpole, getting to spend your day with nothing to do but swim and eat flies. Savor it. Not the flies, your childhood. Because once your tail drops and you start hopping, the hopping never stops.
Oh, it will be a good kind of hopping. And the first place you’ll hop is Washington, DC. You’ll love it. It used to be a swamp. Still is, kind of.
But relax, you’re not going into politics. You’re going there to break into television on a show called Sam and Friends. If you think it’s not easy being green, wait till you try being black and white . . . and working in drag. But that’s who you are: you’ll do just about anything to make your dreams come true.
Right now I know those dreams may seem impossible, but please don’t give up. Dreams are here to challenge us. Always imagine the biggest possible picture of life that you can, and act in service of that picture every single day. Keeping your eye on that big picture will put you in big pictures . . . TV shows! Movies! Guest spots! You’ll work with the biggest stars in the world!
And throughout your journey you’ll meet fellow dreamers of every size, shape, and species: bears and pigs and penguins and rats and . . . uh, whatever. On the outside those friends may look strange, but on the inside, they’re just like you. I’ll warn you: these friends will make your life crazy, chaotic, and unforgettably strange. Gee, what Miss Piggy alone will do to you is worth a separate letter—and PowerPoint presentation—but I’ll save that for when you’re older.
But whatever craziness these friends bring . . . it’s worth it. Because here’s the big secret of life: if you really want to make your dreams come true . . . share them with others. Your dream is about singing and dancing and making people happy. That’s the kind of dream that gets better the more people you share it with. Your friends—and your dreams—just need someone to believe in them. That someone is you.
Before I go, there’s one other thing I want to give you a heads-up about. In a few years, you’re going to meet someone who will help shape your life. No, not the pig. This time I’m talking about a guy named Jim Henson. To tell you the truth, I’m still not sure what Jim did. But I can tell you this: he’ll move you, he’ll inspire you, he’ll give you a hand whenever you need it, and he’ll never leave you out on a limb.
Kermit, I envy the life you have ahead of you. You might even say I’m green with envy. Which reminds me: have a sense of humor. Life is too silly not to laugh.
It’s like my friend Jim Henson said: “It’s a good life, enjoy it.”
I couldn’t have said that better myself.
Amphibiously yours,
Kermit the Frog