Hi everyone,
Today we have a very special treat for you. An exclusive story about “why pets are so good for us” by Sheila Jeffries, author of Solomon’s Tale and Solomon’s Kitten:
I was lucky to be a country child. The dogs, cats and horses in my life were great teachers. Their wordless, unconditional love was so healing for me, and they truly gave me more than I could ever give back.
Children suffer so much from words and judgements that hurt and chip away at their confidence. A loving cat or dog, or even a rabbit, does not judge, does not blame. No matter what you have done wrong, your pet will still welcome you home, and, hey, isn’t that what is so needed in the world? Caring love, the kind of love that inspires us to do better because we want to, not because it’s an obligation.
Learning to look after a pet is wonderful training for being an adult who knows how to get on with people, how to consider other people’s needs and feelings. Children who have faithfully cared for a pet will gain enhanced sensitivity, and develop practical caring skills. Brushing a cat or dog is fantastically satisfying, and fun, a good way to calm an over excited or upset child. Left alone with a reliable pet, a child will often confide their worries to the attentive listener, and know their secret is safe.
My wonderful cat, Solomon, was brilliant at helping people relax and laugh. If there was a row, or if he considered the humans were getting too serious, he would start playing, and do something absolutely scatty, usually something that had raised a laugh the last time he did it.
And his purring was legendary. He made sure you could feel the healing vibration of it by lying full length on your heart.
Beyond the obvious, there are deeper, more subtle lessons animals teach us, and sometimes we don’t realise until years later exactly what they were trying to show us. I believe the greatest of these is the letting go we have to do when a pet dies. So often, children are devastated and inconsolable, and yet it is precious life experience. How to grieve and move on. We can’t, and shouldn’t protect our children from these life lessons. It will help them to be stronger, wiser adults.
Thank you very much for reading her story and don’t forget to check out her website by clicking here.
Her book is published by Avon in the UK by the way and to find out more about the book and where to purchase is please click here.
We will also be featuring a review of the above book: Solomon’s Tale in the near future so stay tuned! 🙂
Thanks,
Marc
I love (Uh, I mean, THE HUMAN loves), that you addressed the need of creatures to have a source of unconditional, never ending love and comfort- because of all the negative messages,criticisms, and (though you didn’t mention bullying specifically,) bullying- and other ways creatures are impacted by harsh or unkind words at school and sometimes even at home. We pets *(AHEM- KATS)* ARE JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED! We are purrrfect fur them!
Great job (fur a human)!
Glad you enjoyed it oh furred one! 😀
Hehehe-you’re welcome! It was PURRfect!
Great! I cant remember if I already mentioned I have a cat-blog on my blog. He’s a very philosophical cat! 🙂 Goes by the name of Phoebus.
I found Phoebus! 😀 If your philosophical cat ever wishes to collaborate on any posts let us know. 🙂
When I need to feel rejuvenated after a writing slump, I’ll go and cuddle my cat and I ‘m ready to go again 🙂
That is so true! And one of the reasons I chose to write about cats 😀
Wonderful story. Thanks for sharing. Pets stir something inside us. Lots of feel good. 🙂
Exactly! We are so glad that Sheila wrote this one for us. 🙂
Oh yeah, it was a really nice story. Need more pet love in this world 🙂
We do indeed. Pets can teach us so much too. 🙂
True 🙂
Reblogged this on Linda's wildlife garden and commented:
Thank you for sharing have a blessed day
Granny says she learns so much from me. I’m her best teacher in Zen and unconditional love 🙂 Pawkisses for a Happy Wednesday 🙂
Happy Wednesday 😀
Thank you for introducing me to Sheila Jeffries and her books!
You are most welcome! 🙂 There will be more about her books here shortly too!
I think pets are important for kids too because they teach about boundaries and responsibilities. Having to go out and feed the bunnies, because those bunnies are completely dependent upon you and you chose to get them therefore you chose to take on that responsibility is a wonderful lesson to learn (obvious caveat: the parents have ultimate responsibility, and may find themselves nagging or doing the job themselves). It’s a pity that more kids don’t get to experience that done right. I foster bunnies for a local rescue, and it always frustrates me when thy are surrendered because “the kids don’t want them any more”. I want to grab the parent and shout “just think about what you’re teaching your child!”
So true! I have seen it too many times that people abandon their pets. I even had an instance in school. our teacher setup a fish tank for the class and in the end decided to abandon the tank and fishes… I was one of the few children in my class that were like you can’t – all because my parents taught me of the importance of looking after those dependant on you. 🙂 (and this was a long long time ago but that experience got burned into my memory…)
I work in the animal sheltering system, mostly with cats, and I see ALL the pathetic excuses – the only one I accept is “Owner Died”. I think the owner should have made provisions, but, at least they were brought to us and not dumped on the street.
What breaks my heart the most is the look on the cats’ faces – What did I do??? Where did they go???? And yes, relinquishing the pets because the “children don’t want them anymore”. Pets are not furniture that you outgrow. They are something constant that stays in your life as a permanent fixture for 10 to 20 years. I had a cat for 23 years, he went through high school, college (came with me) and my crazy 20s. I still miss him, but he was my rock through all those years of changes.
I love Sheila Jeffries’ Solomon books. 🙂 Thanks for posting this.
Dr. J.
Thank you Jackie. 🙂
Reblogged this on Digiscrap Layouts & My Cats Life and commented:
Its so true Cats are reallly GOod for us I have reblogged it. 🙂
Beautiful article, and so true. Animals can and do teach us so many things, especially if we are open to looking. They are therapeutic, for sure, and I love the description of the cat sending healing vibrations on the heart. I’ve had many, many animals in my life — cats, dogs, mini pigs, goats, chickens, turkeys, pheasants, turtle, lizards, possums, raccoons — yes, these were all pets, I may have missed one or two, but I think you get the picture. I’m an animal person and I treasure all they have to teach me. Peace
Awwww thank you Jeanne! 🙂
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