Pets Are A Gift
September 21, 2020
Pets are the LOVE OF OUR LIVES and occupy a very special place in our hearts. Did you know that they have positive effects on numerous dimensions related to our psyche? They quite literally ADD YEARS to our lives whilst they enjoy only a fraction of our lives with us. A recent study by Massachusetts General Hospital stated that losing pets can trigger mental health issues, hence I chose to write about how much they add value to our lives.
#Raju: My first pet was an Indian Pariah Dog, which we all commonly know as the STREET DOG. Not many know the name of their breed, or the fact that they are one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. I adopted him when I used to accompany my dad when we had just started to construct our house. To pen down the memories I had with him, I would need to write a book… But here are a couple that I must share. When I couldn’t explain or express how bad I was being bullied at school, the only person who I could depend on was my loving dog Raju! I just don’t know how but he’d know when I was low, he’d lick me and try to play with me when I would cry, heck! He would even follow me to school running behind the school van and wait for me patiently while fending off all the other dogs, until I finished school.
This brings me to the first important psychological aspect that PETS help us achieve: CONFIDENCE! Not just that, they also bestow upon us an immense sense of security and ensure that we never feel lonely, no matter what! Pets help us develop better levels of self-esteem. This greatly helps people, especially those battling depression because of which Emotional Support Dogs are quite popular abroad.
The next psychological aspect that pets greatly help out with is by bestowing us with A SENSE OF PURPOSE in life. Even a goldfish will make you active to ensure that you feed him and it’s not just about taking care of them, it’s about how they push us to take care of them…whereas they’re actually TAKING CARE OF US by ensuring that we don’t slip into a pattern of DESTRUCTIVE THOUGHTS. Pets also have proved to make us more responsible, especially kids as it teaches them to ENJOY RESPONSIBILITY whilst developing high levels of empathy.
Pets have unique gifts and are highly PERCEPTIVE. I presently have another Indie whom I’ve adopted and named him Raju again, and a Golden Retriever, Teddy, who was a gift to my wife. Both of them can sense when I’m anxious or worried and end up fighting with each other, just to make me play referee! This trait helps people from developing ANXIETY DISORDERS and DEPRESSION.
Just imagine how much value pets add to our lives and how unbearable their loss would be? Since I’m usually the guy who FOCUSES on the SILVER LINING in our lives rather than the dark clouds, I’d simply ask you to imagine how much more challenging our lives would’ve been without these wonderful souls around us! They are truly God’s gift to us, who are often underrated. Those who have pets, LOVE THEM MORE after understanding how much more they are actually doing for you, and for those of you who don’t, you can gladly use this piece to CONVINCE the ones required to get a pet! Do one better, adopt the poor souls that struggle for food near your homes, the gratitude and loyalty that they show, will make your life BLISSFUL!