They aren't called pets just cause you get to touch them.

Pets. Pets are a good idea. You know? Keeping something else around you alive. Having something outside of yourself that you are responsible to. Having something that really cares about you in a way that is so pre-human (not that humans aren't also capbable of it, but they are certainly slightly less pick-up-able at the pound).

The naysayers tell you that it is a lot of responsibility and that it will change your life and that you can't enjoy leisurely vacations as easily or as often. You know what I say to that? Yeah, totally...you are so right. That's the damn point. Change can be real good. And part of the reason change can be real good is that it isn't predictable in advance. You change. And so you don't know what you will look like until after that. Cliffs were meant for leaping.

Pet are just plain good for you. They are attachments to the world. They are the opposite of zen philosophy because they poop on your floor and make you clean it up. And they do that and you have to care. But they are also all about then zen. They poop on the floor. You clean it up. And still you love them. You shouldn't poop on the floor too, but you should get yourself thinking about their attitude. Let it infect you. Let it be a reminder to you. In part because you can't ever really be that. And maybe you shouldn't be. But it is good to have a little furry thing around that just is. And you just want to help be. Not that you want to become it or envy it. But because what it is, you can help it be. What it is, is a thing that constantly can communicate to you that sometimes being is enough, sometimes it is all. And sometimes they poop on the floor. You need to be a stable enough person to deal with that. You need to be able to be in life. Pets are just plain rad.