How Pets Bring Us Peace and Tranquility6 min read
PETS BRING US PEACE AND TRANQUILITY
In a crazy world that needs more love and understanding animals help bridge that gap. Every night on cable tv I hear talking heads, also known as pundits, tell us that the world is a dangerous place. If I could respond I would say that the world has ALWAYS been a dangerous place since the first humans walked the surface of the earth. Today, the threats may be different but tens of thousands of years ago people were often a convenient dinner for gigantic saber tooth tigers plus the ever threat of ice ages that turned earth into a ball of ice every millennia or so.
The relationship between humans and dogs started a long time ago. Tens of thousands of years ago in fact. Wild dogs used to prey on people but got close to them and ancient humans started to feed them. That did the trick! Wild cats were domesticated much later than dogs were; about 10,000 years ago. People back then kept cats to keep rodents away from eating their winter stores of grain. Regardless, the human-animal bond has been a symbiotic relationship for eons.
MAN’S BEST FRIENDS MAKE PUURRFECT COMPANIONS
Humans and their companion animals are social animals. Cats can be solitary at times but enjoy cuddling up to their warm human buddies. Dogs are pack animals. That is how they socially interact. With domestication their social networks expanded to people. Just the thought of walking a pet along a lonely stretch of beach or through a quiet mountain pass lowers our blood pressure. Pets bring us peace and tranquility by simply just being there with us enjoying special moments of our lives.
Stroking a dog or cat is beneficial. It not only demonstrates love and affection towards the pet but also lowers blood pressure. When humans speak to one another, even in a calm voice, their respective blood pressures go up! A lot of canine and feline behavior demonstrates that their love is unconditional. A good reason for that is that dogs and cats cannot talk back like a young teenager can! Dogs do not rebel. Cats will but only when their food bowl is empty. This behavior makes dogs excellent therapy dogs that can provide hope and a future to someone hospitalized. Seniors benefit in many ways from the companionship of a dog or cat; particularly after having lost a spouse.
Let’s face it! Life can be hectic but the presence of pets in our lives provides stability and a sense of continuity. No matter what is going on in our lives dogs and cats have to be fed, watered, dogs walked and cat litter boxes cleaned. This routine helps ground us. Indirectly, pets bring us peace and tranquility even when handling the simple daily chores of taking care of a dog or cat.
DOGS AND CATS ARE A SOUNDING BOARD
Most people talk more to their pets than to their children, spouses or friends. Dogs and cats will just sit there and stare at us while we have a one on one conversation describing what a horrible day we had or the boss that got on someone’s nerves. They sit and just stare back at us but seem to understand what was said. Dogs and cats are extremely perceptive of the tone and volume of our voices. When you are happy they are happy. If you are crying or angry, animals pick up on those emotions and often cower around you. Just talking to our pets provides psychological support that we don’t often get from other humans. That is sad but at least we can get stuff off our chests talking to our pets. In a simple, yet effective way, pets bring us peace and tranquility in to our lives when others can’t or could care less.
Pets bring us peace and tranquility by simply being themselves. That may seem a bit anthropomorphic but we are really looking at the real deal when we look at our pets. There is no aura about them except the aura of what you see is what you get. This simple pretense means that they accept you whoever you are, whatever type of day you had, whatever type of car you drive or house you live in. There is really no need to impress your dog or cat!
Every gardener knows that feeling. Planting a colorful border or vegetable garden in the spring that provides a kaleidoscope of color throughout the summer gives you immense pride. That same feeling of pride and satisfaction when you bring home that new puppy or kitten and watch it grow. Like a garden, they need to be tended. To watch you newfound adult dog or cat explore its world or run to you provides a huge psychological boost of a job well done. That long purr that your cat sounds when stroking it is priceless. That simple act of raising pets bring us peace and tranquility.
Even after they have passed, their memories provide a beacon of light that illuminates even in the darkest of hours. It is that unconditional love that keeps us coming back for more.
