Gratitude As Animal
I'm grateful for my food, my walk, my doggie bed, my window, my furniture I sleep under, my person's lap, my warm vent I lay on.
Let me try this myself. I am grateful for my God, my cat, my dog, my home, my loved ones, my connection to all animals and nature, my jacket, my warm shower, my toothbrush.
I feel better already.
But Do The Animals Actually Appreciate?
Well, first of all, does it really matter? Most of us agree that we really don't care as we just value their presence in our lives and don't expect much back However, I did think it was an intriguing question.
(Check out this video of a humpback whale showing appreciation for being freed!)
So I asked, Tigger, a cat that I spoke with today, what his thoughts were on this matter?
Are you grateful for the home you live in and the food your person gives you?:
Tigger: I like them.
Me: OK, but do you feel like you need to express a feeling of gratitude? I help him understand what mean by sending this question to him as a "feeling" of gratitude and the image of him rubbing up against his person after they feed him.
Tigger: I am "reciprocating" when I rub against his leg. He shows me this by sending me back the feeling of what it feels like to reciprocate when someone does something nice for you.
My back and forth with Tigger leads me to conclude that he does, in fact, feel gratitude. I do not feel that he sits around thinking about how grateful he is but rather, that he feels gratitude 'in the moment," and expresses as such.
I decided to follow up on this conversation with my dog, Meesha.
Me: I sent her the image of the home she lives in and me feeding her, taking her for a walk etc and asked if she feels gratitude for these things.
Meesha: Sends me a feeling of love of her for me.
Do you think about this often?
Meesha: Yes,when you do something for me.
I guess that's all one can ask for and it certainly feel very blessed to be a recipient of Meesha's love!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!