By Juliana Di Leonardo
Imagine that you are having a conversation with a close friend, maybe you're in a coffee shop catching up or maybe you're just enjoying each other's company over a delicious meal when suddenly they reach over and gently collect the rogue eyelash that has decided to take up residence upon your cheek. This action, possibly followed by them asking you to make a wish before blowing it off their finger or them simply discarding it, in either case, is an example of them displaying care and concern for your person, your appearance and overall well-being which is also known as allogrooming. This form of caregiving involves physical contact, such as scratching, picking, stroking, rubbing, licking, or nibbling. Allogrooming can be observed in many species other than humans and can also be seen within interspecies companionship.
Acharya Tulsi Ji (Photo provided by: Arvind Vora)
Humans, like most animals, benefit from allogrooming because it helps strengthen bonds between individuals. This can also be seen or demonstrated by people who choose to adopt companion animals such as dogs, cats, birds, etc. For example, my husband and I care for two cats and are currently fostering an Amazon parrot. Our boy cat, Saul, chooses to groom, lick, my husband's head when they are both relaxing on the couch together which makes my husband feel loved. Our other cat, Jinkies, likes to snuggle into my armpit while we're in bed and, grooms, licks my arm before she and I surrender to sleep which also makes me feel loved and connected to her. Recently, our newest addition, OB a.k.a. Old Bird, loves to spend the majority of her time on my shoulder preening- straightening and cleaning her feathers, my cheek and or hair with tender nibbles which is how she stole my heart from the beginning.
Friendship is often unplanned and unexpected. In this life, we must leave our hearts open for love and new people. When individuals think about adopting an animal, they usually focus on the commitment aspect or the added responsibility of caring for another being, leading them to pass on potential relationships. They forget that by choosing to bring an animal home or opening themselves up to new connections can lead to a beautiful friendship that trumps the prospect of any heartbreak or loss.
For this week's Anuvrat, I encourage you to either pay closer attention to your already beloved companion animals or friends, family and partners to observe how they show their love to you. Cherish the relationships you have and, if there's space, allow for new ones to unfold in a serendipitous way.
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Juliana Di Leonardo is the Vice President of Humane Long Island. She is a yoga and ballroom dance instructor, model, and artist. Her advocacy for animals exploited by the fashion industry was credited in the 2021 documentary “The Face of Fashion is Fear” and recognized by PETA with a Hero for Coyotes award. (Image provided by the author)
