Pets or People, Soulmate
Pets or people, which do you count on to love and adore, to see morning and night, and to get you through the day? Pets or people which would you call your soulmate or soulmates? I saw a discussion about this and I was surprised that a lot of people prefer pets.
Are they for real? I don’t know where their hearts and souls are, but all the people I know have people all around them. Some of them have pets, but the pets seem optional. I know there are some people that love their pets but seem to love people a whole lot more, but how do I know?
If people really love pets more than people, when and why does that happen? We all begin life happy with people, but were some of us always longing for a pet?
With the conversations I have had with people, maybe a dog would be a better listener and be just as responsive, and maybe more sympathetic. People or pets, which make a better companion, friend and soulmate?
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Apart from about 5years when I was in college residence, I have lived with animals closely all my life. Mainly dogs but horses, donkeys, cows, cats, pigs and throw in some birds, chickens, geese, ducks. I’ve lived a life so I have had and have relationships with many fellow humans at all levels. I have also had many friendships with animals. They are the same and they are different because the communication is different. The communication is different because an animal’s experience of life is different, just having a different body makes a big difference. Even amongst humans, if the body is different, if the brain has different capacity, the life of that human will be different. I don’t think of my relationships with animals as greater or lesser that those I have with people. Different certainly and in someways more spiritual with animals. I do know that some people are incapable of making a connection with animals and I pity them. I assume they do not have the capacity to think outside themselves and it can be cultural. Mankind have always -used- animals and often inhumanly /cruelly. If you are going to do this to other living creatures and remember we now know we are very close to mammals in our DNA we even share DNA with mushrooms! So the humans gives themselves permission to use animals cruelly or indifferently by convincing themselves these creatures are lesser…….they have no emotions, they do not fear, they do not feel pain, love etc. So goes the reasoning of some humans……it does not matter what I do! In thinking this way, they devalue themselves. Scientists used to think this way and it is only now as their learning advances do they begin to understand the minds of other creatures., even fish and octopus think.
Some of my very special animal friends are imprinted in my memory for ever and I have to say they are equal with my human friends and loving, trying to understand one does not devalue the feeling I have for the other. You see I believe the ‘heart’ has an infinite ability to grow, It can always stretch to embrace another person another animal and even a mushroom! If I were cut off from animals a great part of me would shrivel and die. I think that older and lonely people who would like to live with an animal should be given every help to do so. All those poor people who have never experienced love and care for another species, they themselves do not realize it probably but in my mind they do not know their place in the universe and they are missing so much.
Rockflower, you did a wonderful job of explaining the nature of relationships with animals. I have had dogs in my home and am sad to this day about them even though they were not my pets.
I never thought of it, but the spirituality is huge with animals because we connect on a different level.
Animals or humans? Who is more trustworthy? Animals, every time.
Waylander. I thank you for your comment. I don’t necessarily agree. I do know that dogs can over you faithfully and deeply. I am not so sure about cats. Some people may want to tell me about cats.
I still have to place trust in humans and I still will be let down at times, but sometimes I am amazed and pleased with humans. I also think that I am trustworthy.
Dear Roseinbloom,
I had a wonderful cat ”Ripple”….She lived ever so happily up to the age of twenty….When we were getting ready to take the boat out….we took her covered litter box on board the boat with us….when we reached our desitination joining friends whom were also boaters….We would go stern first up close to the beach….drop anchor have cocktails or champagne and spend the night…., but I do fear that I get ahead of myself….We left Ripple on the open boat….
She got so that when we were safely anchored and were conversing with other friends from the Yacht Club…. we were not paying enough attention to Ripple….
next time that I went over the stern to join friends…. Ripple walked the gunwales …. as I was preparing to get off of the boat,Ripple jumped from the gunwale down on to the swim platform, the next thing I knew it she had launched herself from the swim platform down into the the water which licked the beach….She had gotten lonely for me and jumped into follow me into the water and we all sat behind the stern in the water….great social time together with our friends also sitting down in the water behind their boats….
When Ripple tried that trick of walking the gunwales, in the last canal before we we would be spit out into the Gulf of Mexico….
I had rehearsed it in my mind….soooo.. when we sat down to dinner in the house of a friend whom had moved to Marathon, in the Florida Keys ….
We sat down to dinner …. it was pitch dark outside….I had just taken a small bit of fish to start my dinner… Then I heard this plaintive cry….Ripple had been doing her balancing on the gunwales as a wave came into the canal….She lost her footing….but i do digress….while at dinner I heard her cry out…. I had practiced this scenario many times in my mind… so I knew exactly where that the dip net with the long handle was located….I rushed down to the boat….Ripple was gone…. she had fallen into the water…. I immediately ran to the boat…reached behind the sofa where I kept the dip net…grabbed it up ….
I heard that plaintive cry , but once more,…. as I had scooped up Ripple in the dip net….she had quite a homecoming….I used towels and finally my hair blow dryer on Ripple to dry her off….We felt so very blessed to have our Ripple back….
AS Ever Sunshine sunshine 777…..I am sorry I do not have sufficient time to proof read this before posting….Thank YOU all ever so much for letting me share….
AS Ever, Sunshine sunshine 777
Sunshine, I don’t think a lot of people realize how smart and capable animals are. It is too sad to think that many are slaughtered and abused. I am not vegetarian but I sympathize with animals. I also have no pets, not even a bird.
Cats are users…lol…they want you when they want you…..end of….occasionally odd ones will become obsessed with their owners according to a tv study on cats…….well I have one of those obsessive cats, I took her in as a stray…….sometimes I have to avoid eye contact with her or she will be straight on my knee…….she reads my mind, she knows my routine and every move……when I have visitors she will go to them for fuss,… but if I make eye contact she will leave them and come to me…..she obeys me like a dog…its like having a two year old whining around me for attention……its stressful……whoever said stroking a pet is calming and lowers the blood pressure lied…lol…….anyone want to cat sit for a few days while I go away to de stress…….. I kid you not……..its heaven not being bothered by a female cat called Henry………we thought she was a he………oh well!! I have had her 12 years now and she gets more demanding as she ages….and I get less patient…what a dilemma…
Starlette, what a story and what a cat. I know little about cats, so maybe some one else could understand your cat, but I would say that after 12 years neither of you are going to change. Good luck, with getting a vacation.
I get unconditional love from my dog, he doesn’t care what I look like first thing in the morning, neither is he bothered about what I wear or what I do, he LOVES me and he is all I need.
Judee,
Thank you for commenting. I did ask a question in the blog, and I still don’t have an answer.
judeee A brave statement and so so true. Rose, we have had Dogs and cats and birds and several other animals So what is the answer my Partner Peter has a great love for his Cats I find them to be a little mysterious. Certain breeds of Dogs are more affectionate than other for example pit bulls do not make good companions. and miniatures only look good sitting on the window sill. We have two Golden Labradors both in their senior years they are my companions and wholly trustworthy People or pets was Roses question i side with Way pets every time Jim
Slimjim,
DO you mean you would choose your two dogs instead of your Partner peter? The character of the dogs may be better. In many cases, if we did as much for people as we do our pets, we may get a better relationship going. I don’t have pets, because I live a people life and pets don’t fit into it. I go and come often, or for days, or longer. I grew up in the country where dogs were free to go and come as they pleased and we all were happy that way. I know people love their pets, but pets can separate people from people.