I believe that anyone who might come across this mosaic bulldog in a shop window will have an emotional reaction to it. Those that are overwhelmed with joy may be compelled to pop in and ask the price. Some will see the trinket as a comical curio piece, with no desire to ever display it in their home. "Too childish," they may think. "What will people think!". All this, even when their inner child is grasping for attention and begging "please!".
Some will wonder how it was made, or how they would have made it. Talent doesn't come into play here, just the illusion that they too could have done this, if it only mattered enough. And then there may be some that look at it and feel loss. For a loved one, for an artistic skill they no longer have the ability to perform. For a more competent time in their lives.
What I see is love personified. Purists will object to that definition, stating that personification is a uniquely human trait, and therefore disqualifies animals. There are millions of pet owners that will scoff at that. Their pets have meant as much as any human could.
And who are we to judge? Pets cannot rationalize the way humans can, but is that really a bad thing? Keeping it simple has distinct benefits towards living a fulfilling life. A great example of this is technology. Throughout the centuries, it has come with the demand to stay current or fall behind, under the presumption that your life will be so much better. But is it always?
Technology, in all its forms, promotes its evolution as a path towards doing it all, but that comes at the price of currency and collpasing under the weight of staying abreast, or even functional. An example is hte washing machine I just bought. It comes with Bluetooth connectivity, which offered little value for me. When I looked at the hardwre and software criteria and discovered I'd need a new phone to used it, it became a mute point.
"Pick your poison" is not just about deciding which alcohol to drink. It also means that you don't have to drink it, either.
I'll take the adorable mosaic bulldog. That's all, thank you.
(All images are property of the author)
