Lesson Learned From a Guinea Pig

Bugsy the guinea pig

Bugsy is my buddy. He is staying with me while my daughter has Teddy as a companion on her trip to her father's this month. We've been doing well together and I've been making a point to leave him outside as much as possible so that he will not only be cooler and get fresh air but I won't have to clean his cage quite so often.

It has not rained here in some time so I decided to play the odds on the slight chance of thunderstorms and left Bugsy outside in his cage like I have done for several days in the past.

Four in the morning I was awakened by a giant clap of thunder as the sky opened. Bugsy!!!!

I dashed outside in nothing but a nightgown to rescue my buddy from the downpour. He was upset, running circles as the rain blew in around his cage cover. I grabbed him and dived back in the house.

The little guy and I were both soaked to the bone so I grabbed a towel and started drying him off first, apologising to him for playing the odds.

Bugsy is one of those unique creatures that always lets you know where you stand. If he is ticked he will  not hesitate to nip or bite depending upon the degree of annoyance. You know what he did this morning? He just relaxed in my lap and let me dry him off. He was actually chuffling in happiness!

I thought about that this morning. He had been dealt an unpleasant situation that could have been avoided but instead of being upset he was happy to be loved and have someone drying him off!

I thought about how I get upset when things don't go my way and Bugsy just humbled me this morning. His philosophy is so simple--if it is unpleasant Just work to get out of it but once things start looking up just a little bit don't worry about the bad or waste time stressing over it. Go on with your life and enjoy being rubbed by the towel.

After getting the pig dried off and in his cage I grabbed another towel and a change of nightgown. Somehow being soaked to the skin didn't matter anymore and who cares if the neighbors got flashed? Bugsy was safe and we were all going to be okay.

The next time something stressful happens I think I want to remember Bugsy's reaction this morning. I think I want to work hard to correct the unpleasantness and just let the rest go. Actually, there are a couple of things in my life now that I can apply that lesson to so I may as well get started.

Amazing what  you can learn from a tiny guinea pig.