I have finally found the dog, which I can totally and unconditionally love with all of my soul and being and her name is Alberta.
I purchased Alberta about seven months ago in a moment of impulsiveness, because it just seemed as if she was calling out to me, telling me that she belonged to me. This was something completely new to me, because I’d never had such a strong inner urge to do something like this. I’m not exaggerating when I say that she is one of the best companion’s I have ever had in my entire life. I have taken complete responsibility for raising Alberta right from the start. Simply looking at her, touches me on a deep inner level and I am truly grateful for every moment that we are sharing together.
Not so long ago I read a book that said people “can only love human beings”. The author claimed that very lonely people can get into a situation where an animal/s may become the primary reason for their existence, but that doesn’t mean that people ‘love’ those animals. Because of limitations when it comes to effective communication, loving an animal can never compare with the relationships that we are able to have with other human beings.
This book continued to say that “we will never be truly able to understand what the animals are thinking at any point in time” and that this is causing a complete breakdown in human versus animal communication. People tend to project onto their pets their own thoughts and feelings. Because of this, they can feel an emotional closeness with their pets, which may not necessarily correspond to reality at all.
Finally the book continued to speculate that people only find a pet satisfactory in as far as there is an agreement of wills between the human and the animal. Most people choose their pet based on this basic agreement and as soon as there is no longer a correlation of wills, people get rid of the animal. It is a fact that animals that are aggressive or strong willed simply do not last very long in a household. Most households are looking for an animal that will be obedient and who will seamlessly integrate into the household without any unnecessary disruptions.
Most animal owners want an animal who will be completely dependent and who would therefore always remain in the household. Pet owners want them to remain close at all times and the more dependent, the more valuable they become to their owners.
I find this observation very interesting because there are actually some people who are only able to love a pet, and who simply do not have the capability to love other human beings for various psychological reasons.
All of these opinions have brought me to a place where I was forced to ask myself some vital questions, if loving a pet is not ‘love’, then what is? How can we really and truly define something as extraordinary as the feeling of love?
Every person goes through their own process of growth. I am curious to continue my search and find the real definition of love and gain an understanding of this phenomena, which represents the most powerful energy in our universe.
In whatever way the ‘love experts’ would express their standpoint on this matter, I look deeply into Alberta’s eyes and I feel my heart growing. I see her little tail wagging and I know then, that I love her dearly and unconditionally.
What are your thoughts on pets and the level and depth of tenderness, caring, affection and even ‘love’ that we may experience with the animals in our lives?
Gregory Poll – Growing Heart counselor and psychotherapist.
