I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself. – D. H. Lawrence
Think Again
I suspect even a big old moose could feel sorry for itself if another male won its girl from him. — Photo by Pat Bean
While I’ve always accepted, as fact, that animals have feelings and thoughts and can grieve, I might once have seen the above quote as simply inspirational. I mean I agree with its philosophy that we shouldn’t feel sorry for ourselves.
Pepper curls up into a ball, eyes drooping, giving every indication that she feels sorry for herself when she knows she’s being left behind. — Photo by Pat Bean
But time, and my love and observation of animals, have convinced me that animals can, and do, sometimes feel sorry for themselves. Why not? They are, after all, intelligent beings, who clearly display emotions of joy and sadness.
I once had a dog that showed clear signs of depression after my cat, which had been her long-time companion, died. And my current canine companion, Pepper, clearly shows signs of feeling sorry for herself every time she knows she’s going to be left alone at home. As I go out the door, she slinks into a corner, droops her head, and stares, with her velvet brown eyes, accusingly at me.
Thankfully, she’s a dog and holds no grudges — which is more of a cat trait — and greets me with uninhibited joy when I return.
While I don’t know what Pepper does to console herself when she’s in a Pity-Pepper mode, I do know what I do when a Pity-Pat mood strikes me. I simply think of all the people in the world who would gladly trade places with me – and I realize just how many millions that would be.
Sometimes we simply need to rethink things – like D.H. Lawrence’s popular quote.
Blog pick of the day.
Bean Pat: Janaline’s World Journey http://tinyurl.com/pskalcm I loved this delightful arm chair journey to visit the Temple of Ta Prohm, and now want to go back and watch Tomb Raider so I can view the scenes in which it was featured, just as I revisited the movie, Master and Commander, after visiting, in actuality, one of its filming sites in the Galapagos Islands. Since the world is so big, and my travels are limited by time and money, I’m thankful for being able to view some of them from my comfortable home. Thank you Janaline.
Pat Bean's blog 
When I feel sorry for myself all that I do is look at what I have (the love and support of my family, a roof over my head and enough food and clothing) and I count model lucky especially as I have met people who do not have these basic needs.
I think all sentient beings probably feel sorry for themselves in certain situations and I think that’s appropriate. I think people, though, often tend to feed and stoke the fire, so to speak, and it all too often can beome a way of life. Animals, on the other hand, feel their emotions, whether sadness or fear or whatever, let it go through them and pass on. We could learn a lot from them.
Abby seems feels sorry for herself these hot days when she can not go run errands.