Life Lessons from Elvis and George
I first met Elvis and George eight years ago when my nephew introduced us.
Elvis Petsley and George Petson were guinea pigs. Unlike dogs, guinea pigs don’t rush to greet you when you come home -- or give you wet, sloppy kisses. Yet every time I visited my sister’s home, I was drawn to the guinea pig cage. I wanted to see how Elvis and George were doing. I’d pick them up, put them on my chest, and pet them. I loved the squeaky sound they made when they were content.
They were part of the family.
As members of the same species living in a small space, Elvis and George had their moments of play and their moments of conflict. I was always curious when I heard the tussling in the cage -- was this play or conflict?
The truth is, Elvis and George simply had different personalities and interests. Elvis liked his own space, and would take refuge in the igloo-type structure in the cage. George loved to play, and often tried to coax Elvis into a friendly wrestling match. When my sister placed a bell in their cage, George quickly learned that ringing the bell repeatedly resulted in the appearance of food (much like the famous Pavlovian dog experiment).
The average lifespan of a guinea pig is five to seven years. At about seven years old, George passed away. This was traumatic for Elvis, partly because George was the one who rang the bell for food. Elvis never learned how to ring the bell. Elvis did, however, find his voice after George died. When Elvis was hungry, he discovered that if he squeaked loudly enough, food would appear.
A few weeks ago, we visited my sister and nephew. Sadly, Elvis, at the age of 8, no longer needed the cage because he was weak and immobile. It was clear that he was near the end of his life.
That weekend, we gathered around as a family and took care of Elvis. We petted him, talked to him, held the water bottle for him, and attempted to hand-feed him. My nephew even slept next to Elvis on the night before he died. On our way home, my sister sent a text saying they had just buried Elvis.
It was a sad moment.
As I reflected on the lives of these two very special guinea pigs, I had these takeaways:
1. Ask for what you need. As a coach, I often ask my clients, “What do you need? It’s surprising how often people say they don’t know, and when they do know, are uncomfortable asking for it. It’s as if doing so is somehow selfish and unbecoming. The truth is, we all have needs, and when we simply ask for what we need, more often than not, we’ll get it. We get in trouble when we expect others to intuitively know what we need. Elvis and George both learned to ask for what they needed -- one with a bell; the other with his voice.
2. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. The beautiful thing about animals is they know who they are. They never try to be something they’re not. Humans, on the other hand, often reject their true selves in favor of emulating those who seem to have it all. The truth is, those who live the most satisfying lives have embraced their unique selves and are living boldly. Elvis and George, while both guinea pigs, had their own personalities and displayed them with abandon.
3. Let others take care of you. Domesticated animals are dependent upon humans for survival. While humans can be largely self-sufficient, we were created to be in community and to care for one another. Those of us who remain fiercely independent to the end miss out on the sense of peace that comes when we let others take care of us. Doing so allows others the privilege of expressing their love. It was an honor to help care for Elvis in his last moments. He let us do it because he knew no other way.
What life lessons have you learned from your pets?
