WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM ANIMALS?

"Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That's the problem." A. A. Milne

Recently while enjoying the sunshine at the beautiful beach of Saint Martin and observing the behaviors of a dog, a bird, and a lizard on the beach, my husband noted: "It's interesting how as children, we are made to believe that animals have their specific characters: a fox is cunning, a wolf is evil, rabbit is coward, a bear is kind but awkward (although bear is not less dangerous than a wolf!), and so on.”

This conversation made me think about a unique life value each animal has, which impacts us as kids. Studies have shown that animals exhibit a higher emotion level than humans. Therefore, we may need to learn from them. Animals have their own social rules, codes of conduct, and methods of communication. As humans, not every animal is alike, but there are specific behavioral patterns in particular creatures that are worth noting. I thought about these three valuable lessons that we can learn from our animal counterparts, and which can enhance our lives.

?1. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. How often do we pay attention to important signals about events, circumstances, and the people around us? We then deny them. We don't trust the red flags we see. Animals rely solely on their instincts, trusting their senses and reacting to their environment accordingly. What can we learn: instead of over-analyzing a situation from different angles, listen to what your instincts are telling you and don’t completely discount them.

2. BE PATIENT. Animals wait for as long as it takes to capture their prey. This is a value of great importance: the ability to be patient and keep cool when you wait.

2. RESPECT YOUR ELDERS. Animals learn from their elders. Spend quality time with an elderly family member or relative. Be sure to pay close attention to the conversation and get some wisdom from the interaction.

As an illustration for the article, I used my painting of 'Indian Elephant.' We can learn cooperation/teamwork and compassion from elephants. Researchers have found that elephants help each other when in need; they work together to benefit everyone. They cheer each other up when one is in distress and frequently work together to solve problems or help a fellow elephant in trouble.?

Animals do not pretend; they accept who they are. Therefore, they live in greater peace with themselves than people do.