EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE & MAN'S BEST FRIEND (AND WOMEN'S TOO!)

GO MR. AND MRS. BOONE PICKENS!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

* RESCUED DOGS AIRLIFTED FROM THE GULF COAST *

San Francisco -- The first major airlift of dogs from the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast left Louisiana on Sunday, carrying about 80 pets to new temporary homes in California.

The Continental Airlines flight from Baton Rouge, La., was chartered for about $50,000 by Texas oil tycoon Boone Pickens and his wïfe, Madeleine, in a movement dubbed "Operation Pet Lift."

Read the complete news story HERE.


I was just talking with a fellow EQ coach tonight about social conscience -- what it meant, definition-wise, because she wanted to know how it related to emotional intelligence. Was it "emotional" and "based on feelings"? We were chewing that bone.

I thought it more intellectual, an emotion higher up toward the neocortex, one highly mediated by thought. I then said, "Think of animals. Religion and social consciousness are very close to thinking (as opposed to instinct). "Do dogs worship a god?" I asked. Not that we know of. Do they have a social conscience."

THEY SURE TAKE CARE OF THEIR PEOPLE, we both agreed.

We know this, because we love them so, but it's always nice to have scientific corroboration which, in this case, is almost startling. Dogs are tremendously beneficial to the wellness of their human companions.

Just being in the room with a dog lowers the blood pressure and stress levels of (1) an elementary-aged child; (2) hospitalized elders; and (3) healthy college students.

Men recover faster and better from heart attacks when there is a dog in the house regardless of whether the man lives alone, or with a woman/wife.

When Sam died at the age of 21, Ygraine, a Chocolate Lab, was the only spirit who could reach Sam's mother. Ygraine did a super job of healing Sam's mom. After a couple of months with Ygraine, she began to be able to let people near her again.

One of the most special animal companions in our life was Thisbe. There is hardly a picture in my photo albums from when the boys were young and Thisbe was here on earth, that she isn't in one of the pictures. She was just always there.

Now we are grieving the loss of OdieBodie, and celebrating her life. I hope she and Thise are chasing some birds somewhere.
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"You know why I love my dog?
Because when I'm crying or
upset, he never asks me
what's wrong." -- a bloggette

Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Pickens!