I’ve often thought that if I were the creator of this world, we’d all be stick figures. I’m not sure what that would do to the diet industry, but it just struck me that I could not have come up with all the amazing variety that we have in this world – and that’s just people! When I look more broadly at the animal kingdom, I’m amazed at the variety. There’s microscopic organisms and there are huge elephants and whales. There are animals that fly and swim and sing and laugh and all kinds of things. I can’t imagine that I would have come up with all this from nothing, and God did! Even if He used evolutionary processes for some of it, He still started from scratch. Although I have to wonder how the platypus came about.
The wonder and variety of the animal kingdom isn’t the only aspect that gives me joy – there is the presence of animals in my life and the lives of my friends. Probably some would consider this anthropomorphizing our companions, but it is better to be around them than not around them (excluding the hungry carnivores, that is).
I was going to add that it’s nice to have someone to talk to that never talks back, but I’ve noticed that my dog and cat have their ways. They may not be as vocal as children, but there are times when I’d swear they are telling me they won’t do what I ask or that what I just said (or did) was just about the dumbest thing they’ve ever heard (or seen). Still, as icky as some people think it is, there’s nothing like being kissed by a dog. And nothing teaches you contentment like a cat.
