Animals

[Guest guest]

I can second the notion that animals keep us going.

When I'm so depressed that I can't get out of bed, I

know I have to at least 2x a day to take care of my

little furry friends.

If you want a silly, funloving animal and are not a

clean freak, try a ferret! They're rather

high-maintenance, and not for everyone, but boy are

they fun!

I remember reading about this study when I was in

college where they had 3 groups of people - hospital

patiens with no plants in their room, patients with a

plant in their rooms that the nurses took care of, and

patients in a room with plants that they had to take

care of. When they controlled for other facotrs,

there was no difference b/t the first two groups, but

patients who had to take care of their own plants

healed faster, were happier, etc. Just shows that we

all need to be needed - even if it just a plant that

needs us. I think that some (even if its small) level

of responsibility connects us to the larger world.

(IMO)

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