Yesterday morning as I was starting my daily grind, I noticed a woman throw a cookie-wrapper on the roadside; I was enraged. I picked it up right in front of her and threw it in the garbage bin. She was cross and said, “I am sorry that I didn’t throw it in the bin, but I’ve had a terrible fight with my husband, I am stressed that is why I am having these chocolate cookies and you have aggravated my trauma by being so painfully sarcastic in your gesture.” I was taken aback and I looked at her with new eyes. I thought she was another litter bug, but she was just another emotionally sensitive American.
The statistics of major depression in adults in the USA are startling. Every 1 out of 10 adults is depressed as per the National Survey On Drug Use and Health. I am surprised because we are among the rich countries of the world and yet we are popping pills like Prozac and the pharmaceutical lobby is massive whereas the gratitude lobby is tiny.
The basic human need for a healthy survival is unconditional love, compassion, gratitude, peace and fun. We need to build great relationships and equip ourselves to overcome the experience of emotional peaks and valleys.
“On a count of 3 let’s both say what we are thinking… 1… 2… 3…” I was taken up by surprise when Adrian suddenly broke my chain of thoughts. He continued while I was still on the count. “You are the coolest person on Earth!” Peals of laughter broke out over us and I was convinced, my dear friend was insane and this insanity had somehow helped me recover from my seriousness.
Temporary Insanity Day is a good day to lighten up a stressed friend. Laughter is therapeutic and so are pets, they fill in the void created by lack of love and ingratitude. Love and joy are correlated inversely, the more you give love, the more happiness flows into your life.
Kong, my pup, loves to Cuddle up and gets his belly rubbed as soon as I return from work. I fill him with work-stress and other daily grind, he looks at me with his confused puppy eyes and I almost laugh at myself. This companionship has been my prized possession. I am filled with gratitude for his presence. I intend to take him to a fancy dog spa on the Love Your Pet Day. He’s been a good boy and needs a reward. My neighbor and I have arranged a date for our pets. So he’s set for some party-time over the weekend.
Remember to have some fun and be glad to give unconditional love to pets. The only way to stay away from the mental health problems is with fun and gratefulness. So next time instead of popping a pill, pick up the phone and dial a friend, share a joke or play ball with your pet. It’s time to change.
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