Week 6 Reflection and Conclusion

A couple of weeks have passed since my last blog post, but my project is finally coming to an end.

It did not take the direction I had initially planned for it; I was certain I'd be able to squeeze more science and proof into just how much pets affect us. However, after trying to tackle the project firsthand, I realized this is not something you can justify with numbers or facts. We have to experience life with pets in order to know what it feels like and how it will impact us.

Therese Robert. "Taylor and Paxton". 2016.

Pets are so incredibly unique. They all have their different markings, different fur, different little paws, and different personalities. They are one of a kind, each and every one of them. I have 12 pets: 6 dogs and 6 cats. I have 3 huskies, 2 pugs, 1 lab, and 6 diverse cats, including a hairless sphynx. I love each one of them like they are family, which they are.

WHAT HAVE I LEARNED?

I took this week to reflect on some of the most difficult times in my life and I tried to remember how my pets made me feel during those times of crisis. I suffer with anxiety and depression and in the past I have experienced suicidal thoughts. I used to believe my struggles were harder than the fight I had in me and there were days where I did not think I could keep going. I would wake up feeling hopeless, afraid, tired, and I did not want to be around anymore. In moments where it felt like my life was complete chaos, there was one thing that remained consistent... the love of my pets. They are ALWAYS there and they ALWAYS provide me with comfort and love. They can pull me out of my darkest moments with the vibration of a purr, the touch of a paw, or a slobbery puppy kiss. They are truly amazing creatures and I really do not believe I would be here without them.

Therese Robert. "Taylor and Niam". 2017

Reflecting on things like this makes me believe that I chose the perfect project for myself. I am passionate about animals, I love my pets more than life itself, and though this is not a project that can be measured or evaluated with an end result, the progress can be felt. This is a personal project, and I felt myself grow week to week in my quest to see how my pets were impacting my days. I learned that even on my toughest days, they pick me up. When I am sad, angry, anxious, my pets bring out the best in me. They have taught me responsibility, compassion, and unconditional love. I have learned that I am a better version of myself when pets are around and I hope that my project encourages others to value their pets more. We take them for granted, but in reality, they are saving us from ourselves. I think a lot of people can agree when I say that we owe a lot of our sanity to the pets we have.

Therese Robert. "Taylor and Paxton Relaxing". 2017

I hope that you have enjoyed my posts and that you have felt the energy and love I have put into this project from week to week. Although it cannot be measured with a final tangible result, this was an adventure of self-discovery and I believe it was a worthwhile genius hour project.

Fini.

Week 5 Reflection

LAST WEEK:

I have so much downtime with reading week and flex week, but I know I will be spending most of it with my pets.

What I've noticed is that this project is very person-specific; how I feel around animals isn't necessarily how somebody else is going to feel. I was at the dog park today and I was speaking with a friend about her experience with pets. She never had animals growing up, but decided to get a dog in her late 20's. She said it was LIFE CHANGING. She cannot remember a time where she didn't have a dog... Then it led her to get cats. Again, she said she cannot remember a life without them. She talks about how much they calm her down, having moderate anxiety herself. The pets have been crucial to helping her calm down during panic attacks.

It is INCREDIBLE just how much people light up when they talk about their pets. They aren't just animals... they are family.

WHAT'S NEXT?

This week I am hoping to focus on my TED talk and explain what my project is really about. It's such an emotion based project so I am very concerned that my research and progress will not shine through the way I want it to. I haven't focused on the science part of everything as much as I am focusing on the emotional side of it. I don't think everyone experiences this the same way, so I am trying to approach it in an open-ended way so that it encourages others to do the same. Science might give us facts, but science can't make you feel the love of a pet.

This week I had an anxiety attack and the first thing I was able to focus on besides the "impending doom" was the purring of one of my cats. It was incredible just how fast I was able to change my breathing and calm down.

Let's face it... It's hard to be miserable when you are completely engulfed in kitty love.

Taylor Simons. "Herd of cats". 2017.