Maya blinked. “So… entertainment can be useful?”

“If you let it be,” he said. “Don’t just scroll. Curate. Follow sanctuaries, wildlife rescues, and ethical trainers. Learn the animal’s name. Look up one fact after each video. That ten-second clip of a dog comforting a crying kitten? That’s empathy in action. Let it remind you to check on a friend.”

A parrot solving a puzzle box for a nut. Video 2: A rescued elephant painting a self-portrait. Video 3: A group of capybaras calmly letting ducks sit on their backs.

Leo smiled. “You just watched problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and cross-species cooperation. That’s not wasting time. That’s observational learning with better music.”

Her friends noticed. “You seem calmer,” one said. “And you always have the best animal facts.”

But her younger brother, Leo, a wildlife biology student, overheard her. “You think so?” he said, sitting beside her. “Show me your last three videos.”

“This is such a waste of time,” she muttered one evening, watching a baby goat in pajamas bounce on a trampoline.