Hello, StanPopovich! I enjoyed your piece on stress and it hit home. We're coming off of four devastating years during which anything that could go wrong did. It was my kitty, Groucho, that helped make things easier. Holding him, playing with him, talking to him, and his greeting at the door when I'd get home made everything okay at least for awhile. During this time, our situation got the better of me and I had to enter a treatment program for severe depression and anxiety. One morning we spent an entire group session talking about the positive role that pets play in recovery. Those of us with pets openly talked about how important they are to us and how their unconditional love sustained us through the worst we had to face. At the end of the session, a member of the group said she was thinking about adopting a pet and after listening to our stories, she decided to go to the local shelter when our day was over. Pets are very sensitive to how we feel and really try to help us feel better. Sure, they can get on our nerves at times but they're only doing what pets do. Please, from someone who has been there, continue to help folks dealing with stress and everything that can go with it to love their pets and accept their therapeutic value. I don't know how I would have fared if it wasn't for my sweet little Groucho.