If you’re like me, capybaras have been popping up on your Instagram for you page more and more in the last few months. As a long-time capybara lover, I’m glad the world’s largest rodent is finally getting the appreciation it deserves. As they become more popular, I think it is time to bring up some important life lessons that these adorable animals can teach us.
Unlike some other animals, these fluffy little creatures are in fact as sweet as they appear to be. They have a very sweet disposition and are considered one of the world’s friendliest wild animals. They often adopt stray or runt animals that are not accepted by their own species. They befriend any animal from cats to camels to alligators. Birds and monkeys often use their capybara pals for free transportation.
I think we can take note of the capybara’s calm and compassionate nature and adopt this attitude in our everyday life. This month try to be more accepting of everyone you meet, despite how different they are from you, or offer to walk with someone new to class. You might just meet your new best friend! Like us, capybaras actually grow very depressed if they do not have at least one friend. From them, we realize the importance of close friends who we can rely on to be there for us and always support us.
We also need to be a capybara kind of friend to others as well. Make sure to check in on your friends and help them through any tough times they may be having. The calm and easygoing nature of capybaras along with their semi-aquatic lifestyle, means they are able to adapt and flow with any change that comes their way. Like them, I believe it is important to be open to new changes that we might fight against at first. If we can adapt the capybara attitude, our lives will be opened up to amazing new opportunities that may not have been possible otherwise.
The most important lesson we can learn from capybaras, however, is to be yourself. Capybaras are gaining love and appreciation because of who they are, so just remember to be your true self and love everyone, just like a capybara does.