It’s the season of sparkling lights and tantalizing smells, festive gatherings and gift giving. In our consumer culture, it’s easy to get lost in throw-aways. Toys break. The tool gathers dust from disuse. The sweater unravels. What endures are the memories and the intangibles which last forever. Rather than a temporary gift, consider a lasting one – the gift of a pet.
Pets are more than a whim or a spur-of-the-moment decision. They live a decade or more. They are an investment of time, finances, and emotions. They become part of the family, giving far more than hugs and licks. They teach us emotional intelligence, an ability which impacts relationships, employment opportunities and life-decisions.
- Pets teach empathy. Cruelty is an act of selfishness while learning to be gentle and kind comes from understanding the needs of others. The earlier children learn this, the better relationships they will develop. Pets are wired for affection and help others to understand the value of a soft touch.
- Dogs and cats teach discipline. They need to be fed, watered and engaged, not when it’s convenient but when it’s required. Like making a bed, the discipline of knowing when and how to accomplish a responsibility grows maturity. For older people, exercising a responsibility gives meaning to their later years.
- Giving is a learned outcome of pet-parenting. Cats demand attention; dogs seek it but both thrive in environments which nurture their well-being. This requires owners to unselfishly give pets what is needed. This helps to expand awareness beyond the immediate environment to the world beyond.
- Knowing by observing is another ability pets teach us. They have limited verbal skills requiring owners to perceive trouble when it’s unspoken. An active dog lays down and doesn’t want to move. A cat stops eating. Learning to see more than the obvious helps each of us understand our world just a bit better.
- Pets require us to be aware. More than empathy, discipline, giving or observation, awareness is an action within one’s environment demanding our attention. Playing outside with a pet requires knowing potential dangers. Interacting with strangers means knowing the limitations of your pet. If you are not active, getting a husky is a poor choice. Being aware of expectations, needs, and requirements of pet-parenting grows an awareness beyond self-focus.
Emotional intelligence is a must-have skill for healthy living. It’s one of the strongest predictors of success. It is not natural and requires learning. Though it can be taught through examples, one of the best ways of growing it is through interaction with animals.
In this season of giving, offer the gift of a lifetime by adopting an animal from a shelter. You will be offering a forever home to an animal in need but will receive far more in return.
By D. Lee Tincher
