Pets

Anybody who has ever owned a pet will know what a marvellous example of love and loyalty they are. It doesn’t matter whether it is a dog, cat, budgie, canary, whatever. Even though, for one reason or another, I have to leave my two dogs on their own sometimes for hours, do they complain about the length of my absence on my return? On the contrary, they are so welcoming and so pleased to see me that it makes me feel ashamed of my own inadequacies.

For people who are on their own and especially those who are house bound due to physical incapacity, a pet is a boon. To have a loving cat that curls up on your lap and encourages you to stroke its soft fur is one of the most relaxing experiences possible. When you are alone, conversation is something you miss a great deal and at least with a pet you have someone to talk to. Some may think the pet cannot possibly understand what you say but just ask any pet owner and see what they tell you. They will say their pet understands every word they say and that they have a very sophisticated way of communicating back.

There is scientific support for the idea that pets can understand what humans say. The Russians have carried out a large number of experiments investigating telepathy. As well as proving that telepathy between humans is a fact, they are satisfied that pets understand what their owners say to them. Clearly communication is not just a matter of the spoken word. Pets can feel what we mean, just as sometimes you and I become aware that a dispute has been taking place between two people in a room we’ve just entered because we can feel the atmosphere. Pets are much more responsive to emotion than human beings and this enables them to understand far more than we give them credit for.

No matter what you choose to believe about animal – human intercommunication, there is no doubt at all that the saying “A dog is a man’s best friend,” is not from a work of fiction. Many times pets have used their superior ‘sixth’ sense to warn us of difficulties ahead. For instance, dogs and cats are aware of impending earthquakes well before they happen. They can also spot another human who is a ‘wrong-un’ far more quickly than we can. We do well to pay attention to what our pets tell us but above all we would be so much happier as people if we adopted their attitude of unconditional love. Too often we choose to take affront at some remark made, even by a loved one, and retain that sense of injured pride far too long. What is pride after all? It is usually an inflated view of our own self-importance. The more pride of this kind we have, the more we need to begin taking ourselves less seriously. I am not talking here about justifiable pride in doing a good job or in one’s appearance. There is a fine line between this and overblown self-importance.

Become full of pride and conceit and we will quickly find the truth of the old saying, “Pride comes before a fall.” We should act more spontaneously, just like our pets, not act because of what we believe others might think, or because it is expected of us. Spontaneous action diminishes the risk that cynicism will take over the motivation of our actions. We should literally “do good for goodness sake.” We should give expecting nothing in return and we should try to love all people, even those we do not like. It is only in this way we can prove we really are spirit beings and part of the Great Spirit that created all things perfect. None of this is easy, and try as hard as we might, we will fall short over and over again but since I have begun quoting old proverbs, this is the time when we should remind our selves of another. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again.”

Spontaneity and perseverance are the twin foundations on which to build a better and more fulfilling life, both for individuals and the human race collectively. Love your pets and value them even more because through them and their example, we become better people.