Cinnamon

Over a month ago, Cinnamon became part of our family. He is a Netherland Dwarf rabbit that looks like he hopped out of a storybook. I didn't notice him at first when I was at the petshop because he was right at the bottom. I actually asked to take a look at another rabbit. The store owner was serving another customer at the time and as I waited, I decided to take a close look at the rabbits at the bottom row. And there he was, looking every bit like the round brown rabbit who lives in a cottage under a tree. 

Getting a rabbit wasn't something I had planned. Alarm bells must be going off in your head - you should never get a pet on impulse, certainly don't get it for your child's birthday, and if all things fail, adopt instead of buying a pet. I did feel like I was breaking all the rules. But in my defence, I had wanted a pet ever since, well, ever since my dog died more than 20 years ago and immortalised on

a t-shirt I gave my wife. Getting a pet was long overdue. I actually did arrange to see a puppy on the day I got the rabbit, but chickened out. I had to tell my daughter that getting a puppy would require a huge amount of time to walk it and clear after it. She was very disappointed.

Even though I told my daughter that we would get a rabbit instead, I am not sure if she was expecting to see the rabbit later that day. When I brought the rabbit home in a cardboard box, she was shocked. The family's reactions were worthy of a home video. There was speechlessness, running around the home in disbelieve, peaking into the box a few times in case it wasn't really happening. My daughter said that it was the happiest day of her life, as only a daughter would. Pure joy, priceless.

Cinnamon adapted to our home very quickly. We, on the other hand, are still surprised everytime he sneaks up on us. We are amused by how intelligent he is, the way he goes around exploring the apartment, how he stands up to sniff and sense what is around him and the fact that he is toilet trained. He definitely has a personality, maybe a few even, depending on the time of the day. He is quiet most of the time but will dash around energetically once in the morning and again in the evening. 

A pet reminds me of the creation story - animals came before humans, they provide humans with companionship, they are precious in God's eyes and humans have a responsibility for them. It is a reminder to think beyond ourselves and take care of the environment before it is too late. Pets can teach us that there is a simpler way to live our lives. That's something we can all learn from Cinnamon.