“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.“
- Anatole France

Some people do not like having pets. Not that they do not like animals, it’s just that they do not want to bear the pain of having to lose them at some point in time. That’s understandable, because you can’t expect pets to live as long as you do. But that, to me, is being selfish. There are so many maltreated animals everywhere, and you are depriving them of living a good life because you don’t want to eventually get hurt. True, it is sad when something you’ve cared for and became friends with for several years just simply pass away. but the hurting is nothing compared to the joy and friendship you’ve gained through that small time — not only your own happiness, but that of your friend.

This concept transcends pets, though. sometimes we avoid giving much of ourselves, giving our trust to people for fear of getting hurt when we lose them. Just don’t look at it that way. don’t look at the end, look at the means.

We’re talking lives here.

Don’t waste the opportunity of touching other lives (human or not) because this, too, is one way of truly making your life worth living.

…quoting S. Smith, “when you rise in the morning, form a resolution to make that day a happy one for a fellow creature.“