The Nurturing Well by: Jill Starbuck
As I sit here and write this article, my mind keeps wandering back to a few hours prior. A few hours prior, my family and I had to make the tough decision to put one of our beloved pets to rest. As any pet lover knows, this is a brutal decision to make and nobody does it without some emotional trauma. Before we took our cat to the vet, we had a feeling that we were going to have to make that kind of decision. So we discussed it beforehand with our seven-year-old daughter. In tears, she exclaimed that she had never lost a family member in her lifetime. Yes, our pets ARE family!
Because they are family members, it is difficult to let them go. So when we have to make the decision, it is a brutally painful one. As family members, we love our pets unconditionally. This is why I held my sweet cat while she went to sleep for the last time. After the fact, I had an incredible urge to turn the car around and go back to bring her home, even though it was too late. The bottom line is that nobody wants to let a beloved go. My situation was no different. She was a part of my family. I loved her.
Just as we would any family member, we nurture our pets, love them, hold them, and cherish their companionship. We enjoy their unique personalities and we relish the joy they bring to our lives. For these reasons, many of us don’t hesitate to love another pet after we lose one. In the end, the many years of joy and love our pets bring far outweighs the short mourning period that we must face.
Studies show that pets can bring many benefits to our lives. The following list names a few top reasons to own a pet:
1. Provides companionship. Pets help keep loneliness and depression at bay. They make us feel wanted. Many of us even talk to our animals, using them as a sounding board. Most of all, we love to play with them, hold them, and befriend them. There is no doubt we become emotionally attached to our pets and care for them as if they were another human being. Pets are especially good companions for the elderly or those who have chronic health conditions.
2. Improves health. According to a study conducted by Cambridge University, pet owners suffer fewer health ailments such as headaches and colds. Pets often help us control anxiety because they offer comfort. In turn, we may be able to counteract certain ailments such as headaches in a more natural way.
3. Lightens our mood. When we are angry, a nose nudge from a pet can instantly lift our mood. Envision a dog holding a ball just waiting for you to play with him. Most of us find this irresistible, which will take our minds off any stress we are dealing with—at least for a while. Animal innocence is one thing most people acknowledge and find comforting.
4. Teaches compassion. Without our care and nurturing, our pets cannot thrive, or survive in many cases. We have to make the tough decisions for them, provide them proper care, and ensure their needs are met. All of these responsibilities require compassion.
5. Offers unconditional love. This is possibly the best reason to own a pet. Who doesn’t want to be loved? While we cannot possibly know what animals think, we’ve all seen proof that animals love their owners and seek their approval. Our pets become just as attached as we do.
While pets bring many great benefits, they are not for everyone. However, if you are willing to provide the commitment, the compassion, and the love, it is well worth it. You won’t regret it.
Jill Starbuck has 20 years of experience as a business writer, editor, and market research analyst. She is a certified health coach through the Integrative Institute of Nutrition and a certified running coach through the Road Runners Club of America. She is also the co-owner of a running business. She can be reached at jillstarbuck@hotmail.com.
