Peter Rabbit is my spirit animal.
Odd, I know.
Admitting that you look to fictional characters for inspiration is always a little risky. It’s also extremely strange when you’re almost twenty and this character happens to be a delinquent rabbit from an antique children’s book.
In many ways, Peter is the complete opposite of everything I am and want to be. He is foolish and hotheaded. He ignores his mother’s wishes, trespasses on someone else’s property, and then loses his clothes in the process. It’s not something I could ever see happening to me. I strive to be responsible, trustworthy, and wise. I want people to ask me for advice, not chastise me for breaking the rules and last time I checked, I still had all my clothes.
In other ways, Peter Rabbit and I are almost identical.
I have a strong desire for independence. I’d rather go down in history as courageous and confident, rather than dutiful and reserved. Peter’s three siblings never broke the rules, but they also missed out. Why pick blackberries when you could spend your day outsmarting a sneaky cat and a scary old man who wants to put you in a pie?
Naughty does not always mean fun, and foolish does not always mean rewarding. In his book “On Duties,” Roman philosopher and writer Cicero writes, “It does sometimes happen that one course [of action] looks right and another advantageous. Yet this must always be a delusion: because right and advantage are, by definition, identical.” In other words, doing what is right is in one’s best interest. Peter Rabbit fooled himself if he thought that his mischievous adventure would give him any long-term benefit. He arrives home safely, but his mother puts him to bed and gives him some disgusting medicine while his well-behaved siblings get a tasty supper. I am just like Peter. I would rather watch movies on Netflix instead of studying for my Spanish exam. But if I do that, my grades will suffer and I will end up regretting my decision.
I love Peter Rabbit, and I probably always will, but I also don’t plan to lose my socks or be chased by half-crazed farmers with pitchforks anytime soon. I’m listening to Cicero and doing my homework.
