When stepping back and thinking about it, it is kind of odd that as the human species,
we take possession of other types of species and call them our pets.
And it is even odder that it is accepted as normal across essentially all of humanity.
We take animals that cannot communicate with us on any real coherent level, bring them
into our homes, call them our pets, and live with them.
We feed them, shelter them, and take care of them.
And generally, all we ask in return is that we just get to be around them.
But why is this?
What is so appealing about sharing our life with another species like a dog, cat, bird,
fish, hamster, etc.?
Outside of more practical reasons like assisting in hunting, gathering, general tasks, etc.,
one reason for assimilating pets is the human desire to have responsibility and control.
The need to feel important.
And the need to feel like something is dependent on us.
This feeling is empowering, and as humans, our central insecurities are partly satiated
by the sense of superiority we experience when owning and domesticating another living
being.
On the surface, this might sound somewhat feeble and selfish of us humans, but the truth
is, although this may be a motive, there is a much deeper and more sincere reason why
we like owning and being around our pets.
A reason that makes the relationship between human and animal companion a truly mutual,
interdependent, and beautiful one that reveals a wonderful side of our nature.
We do not simply own our pets.
We love them.
We become best friends with them and form bonds that are truly reciprocal and unconditional.
We give them access to consistent safety, health, comfort, and other logistical things
that they might struggle to sustain.
And in return, they help remind us of a side of ourselves that we want so deeply to live
in, but often struggle with.
The appreciation for simplicity.
The ability to feel free.
The obsession with fun.
The lack of sensitivity to embarrassment.
The disinterest in holding grudges.
And the unrestrained affection that our pets possess are all of the things that we long
for and wish we could feel constantly in ourselves, but often struggle to do so.
And our pets embody and remind us of the importance and possibility of these things.
I would argue that the elements of our nature that our pets lack, like complex language,
logical understanding, heightened self awareness, etc. are all equally beautiful and essential
to what makes the human experience so uniquely wonderful.
But I would also argue that it can be very easy to become lost in this part of ourselves.
The part that needs to understand and control everything.
And our animal companions help show us that we don’t always need to.
That life can sometimes be best enjoyed by simply enjoying it for what it is.
Feeling it.
Playing in it.
Rolling in its grass.
And so perhaps at the end of the day, even though we may like to think that our pets
depend on us, it may be more so the other way around.