My mother-in-law is her own person. She does what she wants, when she wants and isn’t shy about stating things or doing things her own way. She does have friends and she is a lovely person, but it is fairly obvious to all of us that the true friends in her life are her pets and her plants. They are her happy place.
Pets certainly do have their advantages and similarities to friends. They are always there for you, no matter what. They are loyal and loving and they expect nothing more of you than the basic necessities and any scraps of love and attention you have to offer. They don’t get upset that you only play with the hose when you were watering the garden anyway, and they typically don’t hold a grudge. Well, mostly. My cat doesn’t speak to me for a few days if we go away for a night! Haha
Pets are great listeners and they hold all your secrets in no questions asked. They are great at calming people down, and sometimes even save our lives with their heightened senses. They let you cuddle them when you are feeling sad, and they bounce off your energy when you are excited, nervous or happy. Most of them love to dine with you too.
Another advantage is of course, that pets are always available. They don’t have their own social schedule or commitments, when you feel like company – they are there ready and waiting, and when you don’t, they are just as happy to sleep in their favourite spot in the shade. Added to which they cannot call you out on your bad habits! It is hard to let a pet down, and even if you do, they quickly forgive and forget.
People are not like this, they are not always available, they do have wants needs, expectations and feelings, that they will make your problem! But this is not all bad, because they will also offer advice, offer practical assistance (which your pet wont unless you have an assistance pet I suppose?) and they offer conversation. Like it or not, verbal communication is the human way, and without it life would be a very lonely place.
On the less good side of pets, they are extremely needy and dependant, they can be just as demanding as humans, and more often than not they struggle to take no for an answer! Not to mention that they can make you feel just as guilty with a look if you don’t fill their every whim!
I understand people are close to their pets. I understand that many people think of them as children, companions and best friends. A dog is even called man’s best friend and there is good reason for that. However, I think a person would be lonely, not to mention socially stunted if they only had pets for friends.
Human relationships are as rewarding as they are complex and even complicated. Pets may be the easier option, but the easiest option is seldom the best. We need other humans to challenge us, to teach us to be better, to laugh with and to share human emotions with. To talk to and to listen to. To feel part of a society is important for mental health.
The number of human friends you can handle might be small, and the amount of animal friends you can handle might be much much larger, however one is not better than the other. Do animals count as friends? They certainly do, but if you are using them to hide from humans, I’d be asking yourself why and trying to branch out a little.
While pets are more predicable than humans, and they can be trained, and controlled, and disciplined, you have to ask yourself why you value that so much if you generally dislike people and tend to stick to pets?!
Let’s not forget the saddest thing about pet friendships either, which is that we tend to outlive most of them and painful goodbyes are no less hurtful from animals than people.
Both can bring people great joy, and both can break your heart when the time to leave comes. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Both are rewarding and special in their own unique ways. Both have merit.
So, yes. Animals do count as friends. But I recommend both for the happiest life.
❤ Love,
Your Best Friend ForNever
xx
