Last Saturday I shredded mom's favorite rug. It was just something to do on a rainy afternoon. An active bunny can be a little impulsive at times. All right, we can be real pests when we're in the mood. Hey, we're not perfect. It's just part of our charm.
Now, a less experienced rabbit might be concerned about the consequences of this kind of unsolicited interior re-design. But I wasn't worried, because I know all about something we rabbits call "unconditional love." It's one of the really cool things about humans. Here's how it works.
I settled down next to my "creation" and waited patiently for mom to appear. I don't believe in pussy-footing around these issues. My wait wasn't long. Mom soon came over to greet me, spotted my handiwork, and exclaimed, "Oh, Esther, look what you did! What a bad bunny!" A tense situation, you might say. But here's where the "unconditional love" thing enters the picture.
Mom leaned over and reached out toward me . . . then gave me a friendly face massage, a quick kiss on the nose, and a final "dire" warning - "Just stick to your own rug when you need to dig."
We all need a little love and support in our lives with no strings attached - like when we know we've been bad or we're feeling a little low and just need our ears rubbed or our fur groomed to calm our nerves. Humans are good at that kind of thing with their animal friends, if not always with their own kind.
People know about "unconditional love," too. They often talk about it as one of the benefits of sharing their lives with us. And, of course, they're right. For all their many faults and shortcomings, we love our humans very much. But a lot of them haven't discovered the best part of this relationship yet - the opportunity we give them to love us back. As a wise old bunny once said, it's better to give than to receive. And that's the great secret of this special kind of love - the more you give, the more you get back, and then the more you have to give again. It's like one of those win-win situations you hear about - nobody loses and everybody's happy.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not advising anybun to go wreaking havoc in your family's house on a daily basis. That would be a very bad thing, and probably pushing your human's capacity for totally unconditional love a little too far. But an occasional lapse in good deportment gives your humans a chance to love you all the more. And admit it, it's really fun to shred the rug.
Esther Bunny, Hip Hop Reporter
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