Last week I took my car to a local
business to have the oil changed. This is a privately owned facility
and not a chain. You actually get out of your car and wait in the
waiting room until your vehicle is ready. They're a little more
expensive that going some other places, but the customer service is
great, they also wash cars, and they're faster than anyplace else I've
been.
One
of the managers has a dog that hangs out in the lobby. His name is
Rojo and he is a young golden retriever mix. He's very calm and
laid-back, spending his time wandering around the chairs, going to
different people for petting and attention. It's obvious that he loves
people and nothing seems to phase him. All of the regulars know Rojo
and seem to look forward to visiting him while they're waiting for their
vehicles to be worked on.
As
I sat waiting I noticed the reactions of the other customers. When he
would walk over the person's hand would reach out to start scratching
him and they would smile. Because of how sweet he is there was an
immediate bond that seemed to lighten people's burdens. Watching this
interaction it hit me how universally people seem to love being around
pets. It's been long known that pet owners live longer and have lower
stress hormone levels.
I'm
not saying that pets can't be a problem. I've certainly dealt with
enough chewed up clothing, scratched up furniture, and carpet stains. I
also see the medical and behavioral frustrations that pets may cause my
clients. But people still care for their fuzzy, feathered, and scaly
friends despite these issues.
Why?
Because
of the joy they bring. Rojo wants nothing more than to be loved and
petted. He asks nothing else from these perfect strangers, and people
very obviously love doing so, which in my mind means that they're
getting something back. Most people like not only to be loved but to
give love, and pets want our love more than anything else.
Our
new kitten, Pippin (who is about 3 months old now) is being kept in our
master bathroom at night to keep him out of trouble while we sleep.
And to keep him from pouncing on our faces in the middle of the night!
When we go in there in the morning he begins to meow and carry on. But
it's not because he's hungry as he will initially ignore the food we'll
put in his bowl. He's very vocal because he wants attention and to be
held, purring loudly as soon as we pick him up. There is something
incredibly satisfying about seeing his joy at our love, which in turn
gives us joy.
So let's all remember how much our pets mean to us, and forgive the latest chewed up pair of underwear.
