Animals are Not an extention of Us
Living with animals has slowly changed how I see relationships. Not just with them, but in general. It’s easy to relate to animals through our own emotions. We interpret their actions through what we feel. We look for meaning that fits our experience. We assume connection means they are responding to us in the way we understand connection. Over time, I’ve had to unlearn some of this. Animals are not here to reflect us back to ourselves. They are not tools for healing, symbols to decode, or extensions of our emotional world. They are participants in their own lives, with their own preferences, boundaries, and ways of engaging. This becomes more visible in everyday moments. There are times when they choose not to engage. Times when they walk away. Times when they do not respond in the way we expect. Earlier, I would try to understand what it meant or what I needed to do differently. Now, I see it more simply. They are making a choice. Respecting that choice has changed how I relate to th...