Think of all the trouble it is to be a human. Just to reach adulthood takes forever. Human childhood stretches on for longer than most animals' whole lifetimes. Plus, there is so much to learn! A full complex language is just the beginning, along with walking on just two feet! Two feet and yet humans grow to be big and wide! Sure, that bipedal business frees their hands but for what? Cooking, gardening, what they call "sports", typing. Ok, they do have surgery and sometimes, that is a big help. They have invented all sorts of activities for those hands.
But think how much better it is to be a squirrel! They are mature at 14 weeks and can live to be 15 years old (but they average only 6 years). No driving, no household bills, no taxes, no fake news, no elections, no money or bills or bank accounts. Just nuts and foraging, tree acrobatics all day. Squirrels do need to be on alert for predators but no organized warfare or wars stretching on for years. No explosions or bombs. No cars, gasoline, speeding tickets.
Animals seem to be able to accept existence more easily than humans. They do without books or tv or movies. In my next life, I might apply for squirrelhood.
