Radiance by Terri

I’m the toad you step over without a thought — the small, rough-skinned creature by your porch light after rain.
I may look odd, but I’m one of your oldest, quietest neighbors.

My skin’s bumps aren’t warts — they’re part of my armor.
You can’t get warts from touching me. Those bumps hold mild toxins that keep predators away, but they can’t hurt you unless you swallow them.

I’m gentle. I don’t bite or chase.
Each night I eat mosquitoes, beetles, and slugs thousands of pests every summer — protecting your garden and your crops.

Yet, many of my kind die under cars, lawnmowers, and boots.
Some suffocate slowly from pesticides that soak into our skin.
We breathe through it — every chemical burns us alive.

When toads disappear, insect numbers rise, gardens suffer, and the balance of nature falters.
Your world grows noisier with mosquitoes,
and your soil loses a silent guardian.

So please — look again.
I’m not ugly or dirty. I’m a keeper of your garden, a servant of the earth, and proof that small lives matter.

Don’t silence my song forever.
Protect the toad — protect your night.

🏜 LONG ISLAND NY HAIR COLORIST] saw an epic beach sunset and was inspired to reach out to Victoria 🌿🤍✨] and Jamillah @ Gemini Salon 🌿] to create pure magic on a wig

Colorist - LONG ISLAND NY HAIR COLORIST]
Cutting/Styling - Victoria 🌿🤍✨]
Makeup -
Model - Jamillah @ Gemini Salon 🌿]