creature time babyyyy

*checks wiki*

One of the chapters I can't stop thinking about is the one about Anne the Kelpie. It's kind of impressive how well it illustrates the different kind of love people have for animals. And how someone that loves an animal isn't necessarily an animal lover. If that makes sense.

When Senshi calls out Anne what he says is "Don't worry Anne's Harmless" but she isn't, she's a wild animal.

Marcille immediately reacts positively about it thinking it's cute she accepts the treat Senshi has for her. And hers and Chilchuck's reaction to Senshi wanting to cross the river on her back is more surprise while Laios immediately realizes how bad of an idea it is.

But Laios is the animal monster lover so how come when he finally is faced with a "docile" monster he doesn't react positively like the others? Marcille even calls him a monster. That's because Laios loves monsters, and Senshi loves Anne.

I've seen this attitude around me several times, where people love a specific animal but what they love is their idea of that animal, they don't really know them because they don't love the animal part of them.

It becomes a "this one is special because I love them" that can quickly become an issue for the animal as much as it is for the person. It's something unfortunate I see time and time again irl.

Anne wasn't wicked, Anne wasn't mean, Anne didn't trick him. Anne was a wild animal and Senshi loved her as Anne but not as a kelpie.

She acted on instinct, maybe she did love Senshi in the way kelpies can love, but animals are still animals and must be respected and treated as such. Climbing on top of Anne's back was the equivalent of putting your arm inside a alligator's mouth, the mouth is gonna close because that's what they're designed to do.

The real life equivalent I see the most of "I love this animal but I don't love the animal part of them" is with dogs. If you insist on loving an animal without acknowledging they ARE an animal they might hurt you, you might hurt them, it will only end in grief.

The best way you can love an animal is by understanding they're an animal.

That is all to say I don't mean that the love Senshi felt for Anne wasn't real or that it's all his fault. He couldn't have known with the information he had and unfortunately it came down to the worst outcome.

tell yourself things you do not believe. it feels stupid at first but I've done this for years and now I believe it when I say "I'm good at this" or "I love myself" or "I deserve good shit!"

make a note of every mundane good thing that happens to you. mental or literal notes! could be as little as "the sky is a nice shade of grey, it's calming" or "I ate a piece of fruit today, I'm looking after myself" or "I talked to a friend". again, feels stupid at first, but I genuinely believe this is part of why I have so many "good days". trick your brain into storing things in your long-term memory that you wouldn't otherwise remember.

critters! Go to a reputable zoo/rescue. Go on a hike with birdseed and feed chickadees from your hand. Befriend your local crowd. Grow plants to attract butterflies and moths and beetles. Go on walks just to find dogs to pet (always ask first) go to a pond to watch fish and frogs and ducks. Nothing makes me happier to be here than the animals I get to share this life with.

make art. Make good art or shitty art. Use oil paints or finger paint or crayons or chalk or watercolour or any other medium. When you’re in kindergarten and you make art you don’t know if it’s good or bad. You just know that you made something yourself. And sometimes the art is the process. The fact that we live in a world where we have the joy of creativity is amazing. You made something. Be proud of that. Have fun with it.

do fun things! Do kid things! Go sledding in the winter. Play mermaids at the beach. Make camp bracelets. Buy a dollhouse and decorate it. Roast marshmallows. Go to a playground and slide again. Use a swing set. Swinging + music is where it’s at.

Make an imaginary friend or bring back your old one. You don’t have to talk out loud or act crazy. Just pretend you have a dragon that nobody else can see. Imagine there’s a floating dolphin beside you. You have an imagination somewhere, I promise. It’s not dead, just dusty.