Living in the Nirvana
It's said that dogs are like their owners.
I wonder if that's true.
If anything, isn't it rather that the dog owning people are like their dogs ?
No, even more than that, when those people get a dog, they may tend to choose a dog with a character alike their own.
An active guy likes to take a walk with an active dog, people who tend to shut themselves away get a pet dog. Belligerent people are fascinated by fighting dogs, and fashionable women seem to want good-looking dogs, indeed.
Anyway, in the end people who have a dog become more and more like their dog.
For instance, a guy who has a dog that likes rain, will come to like rain before he's even realizing it.
While looking out of the window saying: “Oh, it looks like it'll be raining.” he starts thinking about going out to take a walk under the umbrella. “Woof”, the dog is barking. The guy answers “I see, I see.” I don't understand what he means with “I see”, but perhaps the guy owning the dog came to understand the it's language.
Not only that, but he also observes the outside world from the perspective of a dog, and acquires the habit of thinking as if he's become a dog himself.
The same goes for cats. The cat owning people, while living with it 365 days a year, become cat-like little by little as well. When the cat lets out a “meow”, he answers “I know, I know”. For others “I know” won't be understandable either, but he understands.
In other words, keeping a living creature is having another aspect within oneself, different from one's own.
'Living in the Nirvana' by Odajima Takashi,
in 'Mokutan Biyori 1999 - Collection of the best essays'
(published by Bungeishunjû)
_________________________________________________________________
I was amused reading this in a Japanese book for reading comprehension (it's full of little short essay like texts, I may translate more if I like), and it got me thinking. I don't own a dog nor a cat but little gerbils, and I thought about in what way I might be like them or how much we are alike in characteristics exactly. Well and then when you think of people you know, who own dogs or cats or other pets....I find it amusing to think about them after reading this.
I wonder if that's true.
If anything, isn't it rather that the dog owning people are like their dogs ?
No, even more than that, when those people get a dog, they may tend to choose a dog with a character alike their own.
An active guy likes to take a walk with an active dog, people who tend to shut themselves away get a pet dog. Belligerent people are fascinated by fighting dogs, and fashionable women seem to want good-looking dogs, indeed.
Anyway, in the end people who have a dog become more and more like their dog.
For instance, a guy who has a dog that likes rain, will come to like rain before he's even realizing it.
While looking out of the window saying: “Oh, it looks like it'll be raining.” he starts thinking about going out to take a walk under the umbrella. “Woof”, the dog is barking. The guy answers “I see, I see.” I don't understand what he means with “I see”, but perhaps the guy owning the dog came to understand the it's language.
Not only that, but he also observes the outside world from the perspective of a dog, and acquires the habit of thinking as if he's become a dog himself.
The same goes for cats. The cat owning people, while living with it 365 days a year, become cat-like little by little as well. When the cat lets out a “meow”, he answers “I know, I know”. For others “I know” won't be understandable either, but he understands.
In other words, keeping a living creature is having another aspect within oneself, different from one's own.
'Living in the Nirvana' by Odajima Takashi,
in 'Mokutan Biyori 1999 - Collection of the best essays'
(published by Bungeishunjû)
_________________________________________________________________
I was amused reading this in a Japanese book for reading comprehension (it's full of little short essay like texts, I may translate more if I like), and it got me thinking. I don't own a dog nor a cat but little gerbils, and I thought about in what way I might be like them or how much we are alike in characteristics exactly. Well and then when you think of people you know, who own dogs or cats or other pets....I find it amusing to think about them after reading this.