DAY 12 - A MAN ‘S (AND WOMAN’S) BEST FRIEND

Day 12

In class, on Monday morning, I asked my students to describe their weekend with one adjective. One of my students answered « Interesting ». When I asked her why, she told us, with her Venezuelan accent: “ It’s the first time that I shared a mil with a doc”. I repeated what I thought she had said: “ You ate duck for the first time, Rebecca?” And then, she explained: She was invited over for dinner at a friend’s house and at the table; there were five guests and a dog. What she had meant to say was: “It was the first time I shared a meal with a dog.” I couldn’t believe it. Now, I love animals, but to have the dog actually have a seat at the dining room table goes beyond what I can comprehend. At the same time, it made me think of how animals can help human beings in their quest for happiness.

When I was young, I desperately wanted to own a pet. For my parents, it was out of the question. My mother hated cats; my father thought dogs were smelly, so my two brothers and I were never able to convince them to get an animal. When I moved out of my parents’ house, the idea of getting a pet never occurred to me. I had never owned one, so I didn’t know what I was missing. That is, of course, until my children started begging us for one. Last Christmas, we gave in. Santa Claus brought them a tiny little kitten. When I went to get her with my cousin and saw her little face, I have to admit I had tears in my eyes. She was so cute and helpless. When I arrived home with the kitten, my kids were jumping with joy. Since that day, I can see the effect she has had on my children. When they come back from school, they can’t wait to see her. When they’re sad, they take her, pet her and somehow it makes them feel better... They talk to her, share their secrets with her... She has become their confidant, their playmate!

In a world where people suffer more and more from loneliness, pets can make a difference. They can give you unconditional love and companionship. A study conducted with the elderly concluded that those who possessed an animal had acquired the ability to fight loneliness. And therefore were enjoying life in a more positive way. It has also been proven that owning an animal has health benefits, such as increasing the immune system.

Animals will never replace human beings and they certainly shouldn’t be sitting at the dining room table. However, they definitely have the ability of providing valuable companionship, especially on those dark, gloomy and lonely winter days!