by Bruce Cheek
In today’s society, loyalty and obligation seem to have become much the same thing. I however have learned the fundamental difference between them from a very unlikely source, gerbils. As with many children I wanted to get a pet for years and years. When I was finally given permission I chose gerbils. Why? Honestly I have no solid reason. I just think they are fun. Like any other pet they have a few basic needs; food, shelter, and attention. At first I was afraid that they would bite me, but when they never did, I became bolder and started letting them run around on my lap, and eventually on my bed. Before I had grown comfortable with having them outside of the cage, however, I took care of them out of obligation. There was no feeling or emotion behind my actions; it was just something that had to be done regardless of whether or not I wanted to. This gradually changed, however, when I started to develop a bond with them. As I grew more familiar with each gerbil, I tried to think of creative ways to take care of them. I began hand-feeding them, and started trying to find out what kinds of fresh foods they liked best. I found them a much bigger aquarium that they could live in and have more room to run around and play. I even made my own lid for the tank so that I could hang toys and treats for my gerbils. I loved to see my gerbils’ reactions every time I gave them something new. They are very bright and curious little creatures. I began to look forward to interacting with them, and they in turn seemed more excited to see me. At first I was embarrassed to have them as pets because they are considered “starter” pets, but I enjoyed my time with them. I defended myself, and them, when people laughed that I hadn’t gotten a snake or something more common for a teenage male. Loyalty is doing more than what is required of you. It comes from caring, respect and love. Sometimes it requires making “hard choices” and defending those choices. Without even realizing it, I have become fiercely loyal to my little pets and couldn’t help but get a few more.
