Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SCRIBD Relationship Project
SCRIBD Relationship Project
PROJECT 20**
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
Introduction
Types of Relationships
i. Siblings
ii. Grandparents and grandchildren
iii. Parents and children
(6) Friendship
i. Classmates
(9) Nature
i. Plant
ii. Animals
Conclusion
Bibliography
INTRODUCTION
The closest relationships will always occupy the most of our attention and time
because they have the potential of bringing most happiness in our lives but also they can
bring the most painful moments as well. The family is, from the beginning of mankind, one of
the most important points in a person's life. The family is the one we belong to, the family is
the first we are missing when we are far away and the one we feel that we can lean on when
we feel lonely. The family should surely be the place where we feel home, no matter where
we are.
When it comes to the relationship between lovers, it is by far the most complex and
rewarding of them all. Probably the most beautiful is the one where we are getting back all
the love and trust that we are giving to our partner. When we find the person that we can’t do
without and your loved one has the same kind of love for us, it is indeed a blessing. However
the relationship has its challenges and the less pleasant moment will not cease to appear. If
not handled properly, these problems can bring the most beautiful of relationships to the
edge of disaster.
Relationships between parents and children are often difficult, mostly when the
children are growing up. One of the worst problems between parents and their kids is the
lack of communication. Teenagers often say that parents are not trying to understand them
better or they are busy with their jobs and other "adult" problems. Even if sometimes it is
quite hard to understand why parents get mad so easily or why some things are forbidden,
children should try to accept parents' decision because in the end we all know that parents
just want the best for us.
Besides that, there are also student teacher relationships, friendship, relationship
with God, nature and classmates that exist in our everyday life. When we face problems at
times, we need these people in our lives… we need affection, love and support. We must
learn to appreciate the people around us!
I love you for that certain smile
That cheers me up when I am blue
I love you for your tenderness
That warms me through and through
In this project, I will be defining seven types of relationships namely relationship with
family members, the opposite gender, God, friends, students and teachers, neighbours and
nature. Wikipedia defines interpersonal relationships as an association between two or more
people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on
limerence, infatuation, love and liking, regular business interactions or some other type of
social commitment. Interpersonal relationships take place in a great variety of contexts such
as family, friends, marriage, associates, work, clubs, neighbourhoods and places of worship.
They may be regulated by law, custom or mutual agreement and are the basis of social
groups and society as a whole. Although humans are fundamentally social creatures,
interpersonal relationships are not always healthy. Examples of unhealthy relationships
include abusive relationships and co-dependency.
The word love can refer to a variety of different feelings, states and attitudes, ranging
from generic pleasure ("I loved that meal") to intense interpersonal attraction ("I love my
wife"). "Love" can also refer specifically to the passionate desire and intimacy of romantic
love to the sexual love of “eros” (cf. Greek words for love) to the emotional closeness
of familial love or to the platonic love that defines friendship to the profound oneness or
devotion of religious love. This diversity of uses and meanings, combined with the
complexity of the feelings involved, makes love unusually difficult to consistently define even
compared to other emotional states.
Because They Love Me
Family relationships never lose colours. Though there may be some disagreement
between family members. It is very imperative that everyone must remain trustworthy to all
relatives and spend lots of time with them. It will augment relationship and can avoid major
family conflicts. In order to solve family relationship problems, everyone need to go off his
consciousness up a level and take a deeper look at his values, beliefs, and his
characterization of terms like loyalty and family. Family member must share their problems
and take major decision in discussion with each member of the family.
Families who have high moral values have prestigious status in society and they are
the ideal for those people in society who are confused or did not learn good ethics in
teenage. Living with unity and following ethics, families can contribute to eradicate societal
problems. It is observed that in hi tech world, people do not have any relation with
neighbour. All are too busy in their work. They don't have time to expand social relationship.
So, there is a need to develop strong relationship by following family traditions which
provides a good base for bringing the family closer together. We all must step forward to
unite family members, respect elders to create an atmosphere of affection.
SIBLINGS
Relationships between brothers and sisters have often been called life's most
influential and longest lasting relationships; lasting longer than ties to parents, spouses or
children. Folk stories, biblical and classical literature and numerous biographical and
autobiographical accounts of childhood have focused on the role siblings play in children's
development. What factors influence the relationship between siblings? Why are some
relationships marked by affection and closeness and others by conflict and hostility?
Many parents incorrectly assume that all siblings get along perfectly. However,
siblings naturally compete with each other and have frequent disagreements. A healthy
relationship between siblings involves some turmoil but these siblings support and love each
other even when they don't agree.
The variability in sibling relationships results from a complex interplay of factors that
include gender, temperament, age spacing and birth order. Sibling relationships are also
embedded in the family and influenced by parenting behaviours, marital quality and family
conflict. Sibling conflict appears to be more frequent among brothers and sisters from homes
where there are high levels of conflict. When there is a high amount of marital discord, there
tends to be a high amount of aggression among the children.
The effects of siblings' influence on the acquisition of prosocial skills such as helping,
sharing, and cooperating are well documented. Children who had older brothers and sisters
who modelled more friendly and cooperative behaviour toward their younger siblings showed
more prosocial skills than children whose older siblings exhibited more aggression and
teasing toward them. The social skills children acquire from their relationships with their
brothers and sisters extend beyond the home, influencing interactions with peers.
In our mobile society, relationships between brothers and sisters can offer a kind of
shelter that few other relationships can provide. Siblings are, for better and for worse, each
other's ultimate fellow travellers. Whether their bonds are comfortable or uncomfortable or a
little of both, they are co-voyagers in a world without many enduring reference points.
Studies have shown that interaction between the grandparents and grandchildren are
highest when the grandchildren are young and dependent, presumably because of the
intervention of the middle generation. As grandchildren reach their teenage and college
years and strive for independence, they are less likely to be in frequent contact with their
grandparents, but that pattern is reversed as they reach adulthood and establish their own
families.
Despite the physical distance that separates many grandparents from their
grandchildren, the emotional bonds between the generations remain strong. Grandparents
are more likely than grandchildren to report that their relationship is close; studies conclude
that the older generation has more at stake in perceiving intimate bonds. However,
grandchildren of all ages consistently report the warmth of their affection for their
grandparents. Gender also appears to be important; grandmothers and particularly maternal
grandmothers have the closest relationships with their grandchildren. This is also connected
to the importance that the middle generation plays in establishing and maintaining the
closeness of the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. This is because
mothers and daughters tend to maintain closer ties as they age than do other family dyads,
they foster closer ties with the next generation.
Each generation both gives and receives, depending on life stage, health, and
economic circumstances. Significantly, each generation expresses the belief that it has a
filial obligation to the other to provide various types of assistance. Instrumental or physical
aid includes assistance with chores, financial assistance and caregiving. Most often,
grandparents offer financial help to and babysitting for their grandchildren. In return,
grandchildren, when they are old enough, perform chores for their grandparents. Emotional
or expressive aid consists of nurturing, social support and friendship that flow both ways
throughout the life of the relationship. Older grandchildren report that they provide both
instrumental and emotional aid to their dependent grandparents.
At the close of the twentieth century, a new focus on two ranges of exchange
emerged. The first was on custodial grandparenting where grandparents became surrogate
parents for young grandchildren because of some catastrophic circumstances surrounding
the middle generation such as death, illness, divorce, drug addiction or incarceration. On the
one hand, studies report that the caregiver grandparent, most often the grandmother, tends
to be more stressed, socially isolated and generally less happy than other noncustodial
grandparents. However, recent research points out some of the more positive effects of the
role such as the satisfaction of bettering the life of a grandchild.
Of the many different relationships we form over the course of the life span, the
relationship between parent and child is among the most important. A baby cries, a parent
feeds her; a baby snuggles, a parent hugs her. Day after day, night after night, mothers and
fathers feed, burp, wash, change, dress, and hold their babies. Out of these interactions,
feelings and expectations grow. The baby feels distressed and hungry, then satisfied; the
parent feels tenderness, joy, annoyance, exhaustion, pleasure. Gradually, the baby begins
to expect that her parent will care for her when she cries. These elements form the basis for
a developing relationship, a combination of behaviours, interactions, feelings, and
expectations that are unique to a particular parent and a particular child.
When children move from infancy in toddlerhood, the parent-child relationship begins
to change its focus. As youngsters begin to talk and become more mobile during the second
and third years of life, parents usually attempt to shape their child's social behaviour. In
essence, parents become teachers as well as nurturers, providers of guidance as well as
affection. During toddlerhood, children often begin to assert their desire for autonomy by
challenging their parents.
Responsive parents are warm and accepting toward their children, enjoying them
and trying to see things from their perspective. In contrast, parents who are low in
responsiveness tend to be aloof, rejecting or critical. They show little pleasure in their
children and are often insensitive to their emotional needs. Demanding parents maintain
consistent standards for their child's behaviour. In contrast, parents who are insufficiently
demanding are too lenient; they exercise minimal control, provide little guidance and often
yield to their child's demands. Children's healthy psychological development is facilitated
when the parents are both responsive and moderately demanding.
During the elementary school years, the child becomes increasingly interested in
peers but this should not be taken as a sign of disinterest in the parent-child relationship.
Rather, with the natural broadening of psychosocial and cognitive abilities, the child's social
world expands to include more people and settings beyond the home environment. The
parent-child relationship continues to remain the most important influence on the child's
development.
It is widely assumed that conflict between parents and children is an inherent feature
of family life in adolescence, but systematic research on the so-called "generation gap"
indicates that the phenomenon has been exaggerated in the popular media. Early
adolescence may be a time of heightened bickering and somewhat diminished closeness in
the parent-child relationship but most disagreements between parents and young teenagers
are over fairly mundane matters and most teenagers and parents agree on the essentials.
Nevertheless, the increased frequency with which these squabbles occur may take its toll on
parents' mental health, especially on the mothers'. This period appears to be temporary,
however, most parents and adolescents are able to establish a comfortable working
relationship by the beginning of high school. Indeed, by late adolescence most children
report feeling as close to their parents as they did during elementary school.
Relationships between parents and children are complex. When we are young we
take for granted everything that is done for us. We don't appreciate what our parents do,
rather we expect it. When we reach adolescence, not only do we not appreciate our parents'
role, rather we are in open rebellion with them and everything they stand for. It is only as
adults, when we realize the extent of the complex choices that our parents made, that we
begin to feel gratitude to our parents.
TEENAGE
A relationship can turn sour at times but that doesn’t mean that you’re having an
unhealthy relationship. It’s going to occur in a number of times during the relationship
because relationship itself, in nature never stays the same. It’ll change just as people do
along the way. So what exactly is a healthy relationship? A healthy relationship is made up
of few subjective aspects that are 1) -you should be happy, 2)-you should be happy at most
times and 3) -you should be happy when you choose to be happy and not vice versa. What
does this mean? Well, take for example a person often quarrels with his or her partner over
trivial matters most of the time, there’s no toleration, no giving in and high ego tension.
You’re not happy but to keep your face around your friends and family, you say that you’re
happy even when it is excruciating inside.
Why do you say that you’re happy? It is because you love her or him so much. Are
you having a healthy relationship? No. If you feel a certain relationship is pushing you too
much over the edge, than that’s the hint of you’re in an unhealthy relationship. Moreover,
never forget to access yourself before making any assumptions and decision to ensure that
whether you’ve played your role sufficiently.
Just like being happy, being in a healthy relationship is what you choose to be only
that it takes two to achieve it. Of course, there’s a grave need for commitment, trust, self-
respect and even a little bit of individual freedom; irrefutably these qualities are all the
necessities in a relationship, even more for a healthy one.
Let’s face it, couples in a relationship are people too and as human beings we all
make mistakes. In other saying, a healthy relationship doesn’t necessarily mean that the
relationship has to be perfect. There’s no such thing as a perfect relationship in this world
and there’s no such thing as a perfect person in this world too. If we were to group
relationships in this category, there’ll be none at all. You should know more from your own
instinct when it comes to healthy relationship; it’s when your head say it is so and when
people close to you feel it too. Nobody can say they’re happy so freely and casually when in
truth they’re not. So if you want a healthy relationship, have no pressure and make sure that
you’re happy. That’s the way things should be.
Have you ever seen someone and instantly felt attracted to every part of them,
including their personality even though you haven't even talked to them yet? You might be
quick to call it love at first sight, but it's probably what psychologists call the attractiveness
halo effect. When you see someone who looks great, your brain sometimes jumps to the
conclusion that their personality must be great, too.
We all know that not everyone's looks and personalities match up. Some attractive
people are total jerks, and some of the best people in the world aren't what you'd necessarily
think of as hot. So the halo effect is really just an illusion. Your sudden feelings of love might
go away as soon as you get to know the person better.
Everyone's got a different take on what love is, but few people believe that's made
out of stuff you can find just by looking at someone. Love is made up of compromise,
empathy and patience. You can't give or get those sorts of things at first sight.
That doesn't mean that your initial feelings can't turn into love. When you first see
someone, you might instantly know that you want to get close to them and learn about them.
As your relationship progresses, those feelings might eventually grow into love. But is "love"
really the word for your gut reaction? Not unless your definition of love is kind of superficial.
You might meet couples who say that when they saw each other for the first time,
they "just knew." What did they really know? Probably that they liked how the other person
looked and acted, and that they wanted to take things to the next step and get to know each
other better.
However, keep in mind that there are lots of other couples who get the same feeling
when they meet each other and it ends badly or doesn't go anywhere at all. It's not the first
glance that makes it love. It's the stuff that comes later; the commitment and caring that
makes a relationship last.
It's wrong to think that if you don't have intense feelings right away, it could never be
love. Some of the best and strongest relationships started out in totally unromantic
ways. More importantly, the halo effect can be dangerous. If you see someone hot and
assume that what you feel is love, you'll overlook qualities in them that could end up hurting
you. You might let them get away with an abusive behaviour because your heart has taken
over your better judgment.
And when you meet someone you instantly swoon over, be aware that there's a
whole lot about them you haven't seen yet; including some stuff that might not be so
deserving of your love. Never mistaken love as attraction at first sight.
The backstabbing, face-slapping, smack-talking soap opera “The Bold and the
Beautiful” is nothing compared to the drama that goes on in a high school relationship. It is
impossible to avoid the tumultuous soap opera that some like to call being a teenager. Let’s
face it, most teenagers have a tendency to be a bit selfish, so how can teenagers be mature
or altruistic enough to be in a “committed relationship”?
It has become quite obvious that high school relationships are like one big poker
game. The players keep their cards hidden and they only allow the other players to know
what they want them to know. And of course the occasional lie or bluff is told in order to get
what is desired. So in short, no one actually admits to what is really going on. Dating in
general is very much the same thing. Those who are in the relationship often avoid saying
what it is that they truly want to say. People often make themselves appear to be something
that they are not but if the basis of a good relationship is supposed to be about honesty and
trust, then how can a relationship be successful if neither one knows what they are really
getting into?
When asked what she thought about high school relationships, Senior, Daniella
Bonilla said, “In some cases I think they are just pointless, because very rarely do the
relationships actually last after high school”. Of course, there are those who do not agree.
There are many people who do find their soul mates in high school, so it is not completely
impossible to fall in love at this age. Junior, Saleha Bholat said, “I think that it is cool to have
a high school relationship, because you always have someone to talk to and rely on.” If
teenagers know what they want, they should do whatever makes them happy but they
should also remember to think about what they are getting into.
While dating high school, there is a lot that goes into it besides just hanging out with
someone you like. Your friends probably get too involved and your parents are
overprotective. These factors can cause a lot of stress in your relationship and are a few of
the reasons why many high school love affairs do not last. So, how can you make your high
school relationship last? It wouldn’t be impossible if you:
You may find someone to date that is part of your circle of friends; this is fine, just keep your
relationship separate from them. You can do this by not including your friends in arguments
you and your boyfriend/girlfriend have or being overly affectionate while in the group.
This is a given in any relationship. Remember, since you're in high school, you have
weekends off (Saturdays and Sundays), breaks off as well as other days off. Use them all to
your advantage. Togetherness is a good thing for your relationship. Basically you have to
spend face-to-face, quality, frequent time together to make it work.
Your boyfriend/ girlfriend should not hit, scream at, shout at, yell at, smack, punch, kick, bite,
scratch, push, grab, shake or throw you. You shouldn't do any of that to him or her either.
Neither of you should tell the other's secrets and private info (between you two as a couple)
to anyone else, blackmail you in any way, threaten you, call you names or anything else like
that. If a person is hurting you (emotionally, physically, sexually, or otherwise) you shouldn't
put up with it.
The majority of high school couples do not make it past graduation. Many times it's
because they didn't follow the tips above, they moved on to date other people or went their
separate ways after graduation. However, there are a handful of high school students who
are more mature in thinking that got married later on in life.
1.
Opi
Nearly half (46%) of all 15–19-year-olds in the United States have had sex at least
once. By age 15, only 13% of never-married teens have ever had sex. However, by the time
they reach age 19, seven in 10 never-married teens have engaged in sexual intercourse.
Most young people have sex for the first time at about age 17, but they do not marry until
their middle or late 20s. This means that young adults are at risk of unwanted pregnancy and
sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for nearly a decade. The majority (59%) of sexually
experienced teen females had a first sexual partner who was 1–3 years their senior. Only
8% had first partners who were six or more years older. Ten per cent of young women aged
18–24 who have had sex before age 20 report that their first sex was involuntary. The
younger they were at first intercourse, the higher the proportion.
Black and Hispanic women have the highest teen pregnancy rates (126 and 127 per
1,000 women aged 15–19, respectively); non-Hispanic whites have the lowest rate (44 per
1,000). Eighty-two per cent of teen pregnancies are unplanned; they account for about one-
fifth of all unintended pregnancies annually. Teen mothers are now more likely than in the
past to complete high school or obtain a GED, but they are still less likely than women who
delay childbearing to go on to college. There were 200,420 abortions among 15–19-year-
olds in 2006. Six in 10 minors who have abortions do so with at least one parent's
knowledge. The great majority of parents support their daughter's decision to have an
abortion.
Sexual abstinence is practised by people all over the world and is the only sure way
to prevent sexually transmitted disease and pregnancy. Teenagers must set personal
boundaries and deciding firmly about having it. Many teens give in to peer pressure and this
will result in teenage pregnancy or STDs. Adolescence should set their future goals at a
young age and steps must be taken in order to achieve those goals. By having a baby, all
her hopes and dreams will just be washed down the drain.
Life cannot always be a rosy ride and similar is the case with relationships. Life and
relationships are such similar things. To be happy, you need to put in your heart and soul
into it, give it your best shot and leave the rest to fate! To have a special someone to share
your life with makes life worthwhile but what happens when the circumstances force you to
stay apart? Most of the people get scared by the mention of long distance relationships,
some of them dread it and the optimists go against the tide…battling it every day, every
moment till the end.
In 2005, according to The Centre for the Study of Long Distance Relationships, an
estimated 2.9% of US marriages were considered long distance, with 1 in 10 marriages
reported to have included a period at long distance within the first 3 years. This means that
in 2005, approximately 3,500,000 people in the US alone were involved in long-distance
marriages.
There are statistics which capture distance relationships in broad strokes, but many
people will probably find themselves in a bracket of their own. However, to get an overview
of long distance relationships a study from The Centre for the Study of Long Distance
Relationships compiled data of over 200 couples and found the following averages:
· Average number of letters written (excl. E-mail): 3 letters per month
· Average amount of time couples expect to live apart before they can move closer: 14
months
Keeping any relationship alive and kicking is one tough job and the distance just
makes it tougher. Forget meeting each other every day or romantic outings, even regular
emails, calls or letters cannot be guaranteed. Petty misunderstandings that you could usually
erase with a simple hug can last for days or even weeks. Well then, what is so great about
long distance relationships? Like every other thing, there is an upside to long distance
relationships for sure!
First things first, you can think of surviving a long-distance relationship only and only
if you are the kind of person who is ready for real commitment or at least ready to work
towards a long-term relationship. Long distance relationships test you inside out and upside
down! Be ready to juggle your routine chores, workload, your friends and family and your
loved one all at the same time! If you thought mood swings could create problems in normal
relationships, the distance will make it even worse. There will be times when you are
downright frustrated and dejected and your better half has the most cheerful story to share
with you. You can’t pretend to be interested and hanging up the phone will be sacrilege! That
is the thing, there is no right or wrong. Long distance relationships bring out the best or at
times the worst in you. It is all about your perspective.
Although it is a common notion that people who have a long distance relationships
lead two separate lives, it is quite possible for two people to stay in touch every day, plan
their schedules together and share their lives in spite of the distance that separates them.
While die-hard romantics would prefer to pen down mushy love letters and send them across
the miles via snail mail, people certainly have more options today. Those who have been in
a long-distance relationship will vouch for that fact that the internet has been a true blessing.
Go get one of those web-cams, log on to the messengers and exchange emails, although it
might not be as good as the real deal, well again just like life, you need to stop sulking and
make the most with what you have!
Long distance relationships can actually be quite fun if two people are staying away
for a short period of time, the duration is crucial but so is your attitude. Patience is one of the
virtues that you will acquire if you learn to manage a long distance relationship. For some, it
is like a rough patch which needs to be battled while for others it becomes a way of life.
Either ways, there is only one thing that makes the relationship work and that is the will to
make it work! Long distance relationships and marriages work on the same principle; you
need to master the art of adjustment, real well.
You miss each other, you struggle to catch up with each other’s lives, you get hurt at
times, yearn to be together but the question is, how long can you survive it? From what I
have heard, I can assure you that if you think of it as a battle, you’ll never survive it. Accept it
as a bond that holds you together and it will strengthen with time. Do not think of it as a
difficult path that will lead you to your love, lose yourself in the journey and you will enjoy
every moment of it – Bitter or sweet! At times, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
INTERRRACIAL RELATIONSHIP
Over 70% of American society has no problem with mixed race relationships, thus
proving that people are starting to overcome racial stereotypes. Over 40% of Americans
have already dated someone of another ethnicity and are pioneering a revolution in the
dating scene. Many high school and college students are dating interracially which is helping
to increase awareness of mixed race relationships. Unfortunately, many of these
relationships go unnoticed because the couples feel that either friends or family will not
approve. Secret mixed race romances often occur because the parents are strict and forbid
or discourage dating outside of one's culture. Parents are often the perpetrators of
stereotypes and racism. Many parents force their children to date within their culture, in
order to avoid betraying their own cultural roots.
Successful relationships often result in marriage and the wedding plans themselves
can be a major struggle. Some couples choose to avoid cultural tradition altogether, some
choose to have two separate weddings in order to celebrate both traditions properly and
some try to compromise by combining cultural customs and creating their own. When
preparing for interracial weddings, many of the parents feel that their cultural traditions are
being denied and can cause problems. Including the families in the decision making process
is a great way to keep everyone communicating and feeling happy.
Once married, mixed race couples face more decisions concerning holiday traditions,
religious worship and children. It is important to talk about where holidays will take place and
which traditions they will choose to celebrate. Many couples choose to worship either
separately or they will find a different faith that suits them both. Issues concerning children
and how they will be raised both in faith and cultural are also major concerns for mixed race
parents. The mixed race children should also be taught how to deal with racism.
When African-Americans and Whites marry, there is 2.65 times more likely to be an
African-American husband and a white wife. In fact, 73 per cent of all African-American and
White marriages have this setup. When Asians and Whites marry, the situation is nearly
reversed. In these marriages, it is 3.08 times more likely for the husband to be White and the
wife to be Asian. When Hispanic men and women decide to marry someone of a different
race, the difference between men and women is nearly equal. Eighteen per cent of Hispanic
wives are married to a non-Hispanic man. On the flip side, 15 per cent of Hispanic men have
a non-Hispanic wife. In marriages involving Hispanics and Whites, it is 1.17 times more likely
that the wife is Hispanic and the husband is White than the other way around.
However, people who have strong historic, national and linguistic identities, may
cause more interpersonal differences than just ethnological definitions of race. For instance,
most Caucasians would not view a union between Korean and Japanese nationals as a
"mixed marriage"; however, many Koreans and Japanese would heartily disagree. Those
who are most likely to marry within their own ethnic group are Vietnamese men and women,
Korean husbands and Asian Indian wives. Most Asians who marry a non-Asian have a white
spouse; intermarriage with blacks and Latinos is less common. However, even among
Asians, most people still marry someone of their own racial group. 22 per cent of Asian-
American women have a non-Asian husband. A mere nine per cent of Asian husbands have
non-Asian wives.
Black-Asian marriages, such as the one that produced golf legend Tiger Woods, are
still rare but here the gender imbalance is even more pronounced than interracial pairings
involving whites. 86 per cent of black-Asian couples consisted of a black husband and an
Asian wife. This means that there were 6.15 times more couples where the husband was
black and the wife was Asian than where the husband was Asian and the wife black.
Almost all interracial families encounter racism in some shape or form. Many of these
families will benefit from dealing with tough problems, like racism and will experience
improved family strength and problem solving abilities. While there are many issues faced by
those in interracial relationships, the friendships and romances are often worthwhile and
fulfilling.
AGE GAP
Well, the answer really depends upon the foundation of the relationship. Age
difference in relationships is not much of an issue if the intentions of both the partners while
entering the relationship are honest. If an older man is seeking a young woman just to re-
assure himself that he is still sexually appealing or if a younger man is dating an older
woman just because it’s his way of seeking security, then the relationship is doomed from
the very beginning. However, if the relationship is based on similar interests and values with
a strong chemistry, then it is bound to stand the tests of time, despite the age gap.
In fact, age difference in relationships can sometimes have very positive impact on
both the partners. Often times it is seen that a younger partner brings oodles of energy and
spark into the life of the older partner. At the same time, the older partner provides the
younger partner with the much needed emotional stability. On the flip side, age difference in
relationships can be very challenging especially in social situations, where both the partners
find it very difficult to adjust with each other's friends and family.
When dealing with age difference in relationships, the first thing that you should do is
to remember the adage, "Age is just a number" and follow it. If you have a younger partner,
one should not brag about it to your friends or family. The danger is that the older person is
psychologically a substitute parent, rather than a mate.Even while talking to your partner,
refrain from acting as a parent. You are his or her significant other so you should act like
one. In case the partner is older, do the same.
For older women dating younger men, a large age difference in relationships can
create a lot of insecurities. An older woman might be always concerned that a younger
woman will steal her man. If the woman is younger and the man older, the man might
experience the same feelings. This can create a lot of self-esteem issues. In cases like
these, the right thing to do would be to have a talk with your partner and re-assure them
through your actions and words, from time to time, about your love for them.
Just like any other normal healthy relationship, a relationship with a considerable age
gap between partners requires a lot of commitment from both of them. There will always be
people, be it friends or family who will have something or the other to say about the
acceptable age difference in relationships and may even pressurise you to re-think. Standing
by your partner in such circumstances and keeping in mind that compatibility is much more
important than a number will help you to make your relationship work. It's hard to argue with
love. If love is real, and the relationship is good, then age becomes secondary.
Someone has rightly said, "Age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it
doesn’t matter."
This is how God showed his love
among us : He sent his one and only Son
into the world that we might
live through him. This is love : not that
we loved God, but that he loved us and
sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice
for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us,
we also ought to love one another.
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another,
God lives in us and
his love is made complete in us.
1 John 4 : 9-12
What many people do not know, realise or care about is that Jesus gave us the most
amazing gift, that is the opportunity to spend eternity with God if we trust in Him. “For the
wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” ( Romans
6:23). God became a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ to take on our sin, be killed
and then be raised to life again, proving His victory over sin and death. “Therefore, there is
now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). If we accept this gift,
we have become acceptable to God and can have a relationship with Him.
Having a personal relationship with God means we should include God in our daily
lives. We should pray to Him, read His word, and meditate on verses in an effort to get to
know Him better. We should pray for wisdom (James 1:5), which is the most valuable asset
we could ever have. We should take our requests to Him, asking in Jesus' name (John
15:16). Jesus is the one who loves us enough to give His life for us (Romans 5:8), and He is
the one who bridged the gap between us and God.
The Holy Spirit has been given to us as our Counsellor. “If you love me, you will obey
what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be
with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees
him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-
17). Jesus said this before He died and after He died, the Holy Spirit became available to all
who earnestly seek to receive Him. He is the one who lives in the hearts of believers and
never leaves. He counsels us, teaches us truths and changes our hearts. Without this divine
Holy Spirit, we would not have the ability to fight against evil and temptations. But since we
do have Him, we begin to produce the fruit that comes from allowing the Spirit to control us:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
(Galatians 5:22-23).
This personal relationship with God is not as hard to find as we might think and there
is no mysterious formula for getting it. As soon as we become children of God, we receive
the Holy Spirit, who will begin to work on our hearts. We should pray without ceasing, read
the Bible and join a Bible-believing church; all these things will help us to grow spiritually.
Trusting in God to get us through each day and believing that He is our saviour is the way to
have a relationship with Him. Although we may not see changes immediately, we will begin
to see them over time and all the truths will become clear.
Actually, God is very interested in you and desires for you to have a personal
relationship with Him.
"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can't
even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!" (Psalm 139:17-18b)
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' says the LORD. 'They are plans for good and
not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.'" (Jeremiah 29:11)
"God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that
we might have eternal life through him." (1 John 4:9)
God tells us in the Bible that the punishment for sin is death–not just physical death
but a spiritual death which will cause separation from God and His kingdom for eternity. In
other words, even though you are separated from God because of your sin, God made a
way for you to come back to Him. He is offering this salvation to you as a free gift. All you
have to do is receive it.
4. Receive, through prayer, Jesus Christ into your heart and life.
FRI
ENDSHIP
A genuine friendship remains unconditional while remaining as the only type of social
relationship which encompasses tribulations and trials over period of time. Friendship is a
unique mixture of respect, love, loyalty, honesty and care derived from the fun moments and
bonding experiences which often define what is friendship all about. You can call someone
your friend if he/she meets the same interest like yours including similarity of interest over
things, strong attachment on each other and mutual respect and trust especially as they
share experiences and secrets. These are few traits of friendship in general. Enable for us to
experience what is friendship all about, you should have a true friends who will be at your
side no matter what circumstances you are in.
When you have a friend, you feel comforted and emotionally safe with them. This is
the time when someone recognises yourself far better than you. This is the time when
somebody lends you a hanky when your tears start to fall or when someone makes you feel
that they are willing to lend a hand in times of trouble. Friendship is not measured by the
times you spent together and the enjoyable moments you’ve shared; it is measured when
someone fights for you even if you are decided to give up.
In psychiatry, you can’t be healthy without friends. It’s part of the interpersonal
relationship criteria enable to be called mentally healthy. Your friends are your mirrors of
reality. What type of friends you choose defines the type of self you have. Friends make you
perform a daily activity as a normal individual. Therefore, if you don’t have any friends, you
are mentally unhealthy. Also, according to some research in psychology, friends play a huge
role in the development of our emotional aspect. But, the relationship should be constant
and well driven enable to form the development. Friendship should be a mixture of the
efforts of both individual. It cannot surpass if only one works for it.
Friendship even started the moment we learn to stand and walk. The type of
preference we select during our toddlerhood should be cherished by our parents over period
of time. We are taught to learn the right and wrong things by our friends as we grow with
each other. Therefore, if we started to choose the wrong friends, we are also in the wrong
direction of life. However, if we choose the right friends, our life will have a good path. The
appropriate friends should be carefully introduced to children since they do not have the
concept of friendship yet. They still look on the aspect of companionship of a playmate. It is
vital since friends influence the emotional aspect of the individual so parent must know and
structure their environment to expect a fruitful growth. Thus, it is vital to find a friend with the
exact match of your personality so that your relationship will last forever.
The races in friendships in Tennessee, USA in a pie chart.
For a person to understand the true meaning of friendship, he has to be a true friend
himself/herself first. A friend who is not only there when things are all hunky and dory but
also when his friend is down and out. A friend who provides care, comfort and lends an ear
when all others have closed doors on a person. As Grace Pulpit puts it, "A friend is the one
who comes in when the whole world has gone out."
A true friend is someone who teaches us something valuable from whom we can
learn various things about love and life. In the words of Albert Schweitzer, "In everyone's life,
at some time, our inner fire goes out. It then bursts into flame by an encounter with another
human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."
A true friend is the one who accepts us the way we are. In front of whom we can
make fool of ourselves and can talk anything under the sun. As Dinah Craik puts it in the
book titled, "A Life for a Life", "But oh! The blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can
speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish
thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling
safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them
all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take
and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest
away."
For some people, friendship is all about bonding and companionship, and a friend
someone whom they can talk to and share their thoughts and feelings. As a friendship
quote by Virginia Woolf puts across, "Some people go to priests; others to poetry; I to my
friends." A friend is someone, who contributes to our growth as an individual, someone who
never gets in the way, unless to motivate us to do better in life, someone who gives us
space. In the words of Elisabeth Foley, "The most beautiful discovery true friends make is
that they can grow separately without growing apart."
As Elbert Hubbard puts it, "The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still
likes you." A true friend is someone who gives a reality check every now and then. Someone
who keeps our feet firmly on the ground, someone who tells us when we are going wrong.
According to a famous Sicilian Proverb, "Only your real friends will tell you when your face is
dirty."
CLASSMATES
For the study of children's peer relationships, the distinction can be made between
being accepted and having friends. Being accepted refers to degree of liking by the peer
group or classmates and is measured by sociometric nominations (liking and disliking)
and/or sociometric ratings. Children's friendships are usually assessed through self-report
nominations but they have also been identified through teacher and parent nominations as
well as the observations of trained observers. The ability to sustain friendships is traditionally
thought to be an important part of one's life skills.
The ability to develop healthy friendships and peer relationships depends on a teen's
self-identity, self-esteem and self-reliance. At its best, peer pressure can mobilise your
teen's energy, motivate for success and encourage your teen to conform to healthy
behaviour. Classmates can and do act as positive role models. Positive competition among
classmates in academics or sports is healthy if it isn’t overdone.
Negative Peer Pressure
The need for acceptance, approval and belonging is vital during the teen years.
Teens who feel isolated or rejected by their classmates are more likely to engage in risky
behaviours in order to fit in with a group. In such situations, peer pressure can impair good
judgment and fuel risk-taking behaviour, drawing a teen away from the family and positive
influences and luring into dangerous activities.
For example, teens with ADHD, learning differences or disabilities are often rejected
due to their age-inappropriate behaviour and thus are more likely to associate with other
rejected and/or delinquent peers. Some experts believe that teenage girls frequently enter
into sexual relationships when what they are seeking is acceptance, approval and love.
A powerful negative peer influence can motivate a teen to make choices and engage
in behaviour that his or her values might otherwise reject. Some teens will risk being
grounded, losing their parents' trust or even facing jail time just to try and fit in or feel like
they have a group of friends they can identify with and who accept them. Sometimes, teens
will change the way they dress, their friends, give up their values or create new ones,
depending on the people they hang around with.
Some teens harbour secret lives governed by the influence of their peers. Some,
including those who appear to be well-behaved, high-achieving teens, engage in negative,
even dangerous behaviour when with their peers. Once influenced, teens may continue the
slide into problems with the law, substance abuse, school problems, authority defiance, gang
involvement, etc.
Hanging around with the wrong crowd makes it more likely a youngster will commit
crime. It does remind us that peer pressure is a powerful force.
Prevalence of offending and delinquent behaviour in 2007 (10-19 year olds) in a bar graph
Just one youngster in 30 will carry a knife at any time in a year. Among kids whose
mates get into trouble, one in eight will have packed a blade. Among adults, about 14% will
be the victim of a personal crime in any year. However, for children aged 10 to 15, a third will
be victims.
How to get along with your classmates? 1) – Relax. If someone does something that
bothers you or offends you, take a moment to relax and just breathe before you relax.
Reacting on raw emotion can often make the situation worse. Take 3 deep breaths and
count to ten while you breathe in and out, this will help to calm the nervous system and
provide you with clarity before you react to something. 2) –Exercise. Exercise helps to
release tension and this allows you to be a better friend because you have a positive mood.
Exercise also boosts your self-esteem and self-confidence, both of which can help you
survive the hallways of school.
3) –Talk. If you have issues with some of your classmates, talk to them about it.
Discuss some ways you can make your relationship better. 4) –Listen. Almost every
argument or disagreement in any relationship is caused from miscommunication and lack of
listening. When your classmates are talking to you, make the time to actually listen to what
they are saying. 5) -When it comes to getting along with your classmates, you may need to
make a few changes to your personality. If you are having trouble getting along with others,
determine what the roadblock is. Why are your classmates rejecting you? Getting through
the school years is tough for anyone. There is a lot of pressure to fit in and be socially
accepted by your classmates. Be true to who you are and make friends with the people that
you get along with. Give your classmates respect and expect the same from them in return.
To A Special Teacher
The teacher student relationship is very important for children. Children spend
approximately 5 to 8 hours a day with a teacher for almost 11 months. We ask ourselves
what is considered a good teacher? All of us have gone through schooling and for sure, we
have had a favourite teacher. A positive relationship between the student and the teacher is
difficult to establish but can be found for both individuals at either end. The qualities for a
positive relationship can vary to set a learning experience approachable and inviting the
students to learn. A teacher and student who have the qualities of good communications,
respect in a classroom and show interest in teaching from the point of view of the teacher
and learning from a student, will establish a positive relationship in the classroom. The focus
will be on the relationship between the student and teacher, involving a setting in the primary
grades.
Children have different strategies for learning and achieving their goals. A few
students in a classroom will grasp and learn quickly but at the same time there will be those
who have to be repeatedly taught using different techniques for the student to be able to
understand the lesson. On the other hand, there are those students who fool around and
use school as entertainment. Teaching then becomes difficult, especially if there is no proper
communication. Yet, teachers, creating a positive relationship with their students, will not
necessarily control of all the disruptive students.
The key is, teachers need to continuously monitor the student in order for him or her
to be aware of any difficulties the student is having. Understanding the child’s problem, fear
or confusion will give the teacher a better understanding the child’s learning difficulties. Once
the teacher becomes aware of the problems, he or she will have more patience with the
student, thus making the child feel secure or less confused when learning is taking place in
the classroom.
The communication between the student and the teacher serves as a connection
between the two which provides a better atmosphere for a classroom environment. Of
course a teacher is not going to understand every problem for every child in his or her
classroom, but will acquire enough information for those students who are struggling with
specific tasks. A significant body of research indicates that academic achievement and
student behaviour are influenced by the quality of the teacher and student relationship. The
more the teacher connects or communicates with his or her students, the more likely they
will be able to help students learn at a high level and accomplish quickly.
The teacher needs to understand that in many schools, especially in big cities like,
children come from different cultures and backgrounds. A teacher then needs to understand
the value of the students' senses of belonging, which can be of greater value and build self-
worth for minority students. If the teacher demonstrates an understanding of the student’s
culture, it will provide a better understanding between the teacher and the student. Children
who are yelled at feel rejected and frightened because a teacher shouts at them. The
example above demonstrates the feelings the child has towards the teacher leading to
inhibiting the child from learning. The reasons for children to be yelled at vary from teacher
to teacher but shouting should not be the solution for children who find education a difficult
process or simply lack of learning experiences.
Therefore, those teachers who demonstrate respect towards their students will
automatically win favour by having active learners in their classroom. The arrogant or
offensive teacher will lack these positive qualities due to his or her lack of control over the
children. Teachers should assert that they should also be treated with respect and their
responsibilities to ensure that students treat each other with kindness. Teachers are
encouraged to blend their warmth and firmness towards the students in their classroom, but
with realistic limits.
Children who are teased or bullied by other children find themselves being victimised
by their peers. Children who have become victims of this nature find learning difficult. They
will be stressed out not only by trying to achieve academically but also because the names
they have been appointed by their classmates are destructive, demeaning and destroy self-
esteem. Therefore, it is important for teachers to have children respect each other. Usually,
a type of lesson involving with self-esteem can be an excellent activity for children who are
involved in this destructive nature.
Teachers who are in a classroom everyday have experienced one time or another
where the student(s) find learning boring and are disruptive. Teachers understand that if this
behaviour continues in the classroom and if they do nothing to prevent this from happening,
the outcome proves to be disastrous for both types of participants. The student will conclude
that his or her behaviour is permissible and will draw away from learning. Therefore, it is
essentially important for the teacher to explain to the child the importance to learn. Learning
becomes a process for an individual where he or she feels comfortable with learning whether
it’s in a classroom or at home.
Authoritarian control is often destructive to students who are in the primary grades,
and eventually upper grades teachers have difficulty dealing with children who were taught
with an authoritarian teacher. Children in primary grades feel the urge to talk about their
problems, fears or even show their knowledge but at the same time they want to be listened
too. The student will feel valued and respected. Students feel flattered when the teacher
eventually gives them the option of contributing or in other words the teacher asks for an
opinion. The teachers do not have to give up all their control, rather teachers share control
with students and encourage interactions that are determined by mutual agreement.
For teachers conducting a classroom and shaping the minds of the young students,
teachers who communicate effectively with their students should give appropriate and
helpful feedback to their students. Interaction between the student and teacher becomes
extremely important for a successful relationship through the entire time of a school year. A
close but limited relationship between the student and teacher can be helpful for those
students who are shy and find speaking in front of the classroom difficult or children who
have low self-esteem. The tension these students hold in a classroom will have the
confidence they had always wanted but never achieved due to not having a good
relationship with the teacher.
Some traditional teachers follow the famous list of books to be read by their students.
Many children will not enjoy reading because they do not have the background to
understand the material. They do not have any interest in the book which makes reading
confusing and difficult to understand. Students have felt what mattered most are the
relationship teachers established with their students providing guidance to students who
have felt inadequate or threatened. Teachers who follow the traditional curriculum do not
necessarily need to focus on their traditional ideas but rather interact with their students and
find interesting topics to discuss with their students.
Therefore, how does a teacher hold a relationship that leads to effectively teach the
children? The answer becomes clear when teachers interact with and learn more about their
students. Our first educational experience, which takes place in the primary years of our life,
sets the principles for our future education. Every school year, an elementary teacher deals
with new faces and new attitudes. Some children find themselves lacking an interest in
learning and others feel playing and fooling around at school with friends is the happiest
moment of their life. The solution to inappropriate behaviour will not automatically get rid of
the poor attitude of these children but is to establish a positive relationship. Teachers can
establish a positive relationship with their students by communicating with them and properly
providing feedback to them. Respect between teacher and student with both feeling
enthusiastic when learning and teaching. Having established a positive relationship with
students will encourage students to seek education and be enthusiastic and to be in school.
Always remember the ancient Buddhist saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher will
show up”.
A Poem To My Neighbours
Neighbours play a vital role in our life. Their way of life, friends and social habits can
have a strong impact on our life. It is nice to know the people across the street or next to us.
Do you have good relationships with your neighbours or are you like many that do not even
know your next door neighbour? This situation usually happens in your bigger cities but it
can happen in the smaller ones as well. In most cities or towns you might know only a few of
the people that live there unless you have lived there all of your life. Even then you might not
know everyone. In most cases you would find that a lot of these neighbours are not even on
speaking terms and that can make living in your home miserable sometimes.
There are many reasons that situations like this might occur as some of your
neighbours might work different hours as you do. You might work days and this neighbour
might work at night. This would mean that when you are out and about while this person is
asleep. If you were to be too loud outside their home and wake them up, this could bring
problems to you. You will need to apologise to this person and make sure that you do not do
this again. If you keep doing this this neighbour might call in the law and you might end up
having to go to a professional to help you get out of the situation. neighbours, so a lot of
times it may look like you are just being unfriendly. You might have moved from a town or
street that all of your old neighbours were just like this. Some of these old neighbours might
Almost all of us try to stay away from any problems with our have had children that
just wanted to do bad things or did things that just did not settle with you. You might have
tried everything under the sun to try to get along with these people, but to no avail. In some
situations the problems might only become worse.
One of the best inventions for neighbours whom we cannot get along with is a fence
or a wall. When neither of you want to give in and you cannot resolve your differences, a
fence will help keep the peace. It sets a boundary that is always in place. The fence might
not always do the trick but it might help in some ways. This way the pets and children cannot
get in your yard and so on. It might be worth the investment if it makes a calmer living
environment for you.
Whether you’re new to your neighbourhood or have lived there for ages, it is never
too late to build a good relationship with your neighbours. Getting to know your neighbours
and establishing a positive rapport with them benefits you in several ways from safety to
possible new friendships. Being on bad terms with your neighbour can make your life
frustrating, day after day. However, taking the time to establish good terms with your
neighbours has numerous benefits. The community will be friendlier, the neighbourhood
safer and the area a nicer and more comfortable place to live.
Thirdly, practise parking etiquette. When you park your vehicle, be sure not to block
anyone's access or make them have to pull out of a very tight spot. Don't over-rev the engine
of your car or motorcycle early in the morning or late at night. Park in front of your home and
not theirs. Fourthly, keep your garden tidy. Weed your garden regularly, because the
presence of weeds in your yard is not only unsightly but can also spread to your neighbours’
yard. Fifthly, put rubbish/garbage out on the right day. Only put your rubbish/garbage out on
the day it's due for collection. Garbage can attract vermin, insects and other pests and is
also unsightly. Lastly, communicate with your neighbour. Above all, touch base with your
neighbours regularly and keep them in the loop. Remember the golden rule and if anything
you are planning to do may affect them, minimise it and let them know in advance.
Ah! Its Winter
Modern humans (Homo sapiens) evolved and have lived in intimate contact with
nature, in the savannahs and forests for almost their entire 120,000± year history. The
cultivation of plants and the domestication of animals allowed our ancestors to dwell in
permanent settlements to expand their population more rapidly, thus beginning a long, sad
divorce from nature. It wasn’t until recent history that most people lived in cities.
In the Bible,
God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. They shall rule the fish
of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, the whole earth, and all the creeping things that
creep on earth." And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them. God blessed them and God said to them, "Be fertile and
increase, fill the earth and master it; and rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all
the living things that creep on earth."
God said, "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and
every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food. And to all the animals on
land, to all the birds of the sky, and to everything that creeps on earth, in which there is the
breath of life, [I give] all the green plants for food." And it was so. And God saw all that He
had made, and found it very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth
day.
-- Genesis 1:26-31
A Threatened Planet...
Nature is a quality-of-life issue for people around the world. Strong majorities in all
countries surveyed, ranging from 62 per cent in Turkey to 94 per cent in Canada, agree that
“experiencing nature and wildlife is one of the best experiences they can have.” People in
Germany (91%), Great Britain (90%), South Africa (91%) and China (92%) are among the
most likely to agree that nature has an important experiential value for them. Those in
Nigeria (67%), India (76%), Russia (70%), and Italy (70%) are among the least likely.
PLANTS
Most of us know instinctively that being close to greenery makes us feel more at
ease with our surroundings. We experience less stress when there are plants around us.
Buildings are quieter and more relaxed but at the same time, more stimulating and
interesting. A substantial body of academic research has shown conclusively that interior
landscaping has dramatic effects on the wellbeing of building occupants. People in offices
are more productive, take fewer sick days and make fewer mistakes. And they are happier
when interior landscaping enhances their environment. Patients in hospitals benefit greatly
from being more in touch with nature. There is even evidence showing students perform
better in improved learning environments.
There is general agreement amongst scientists that plants improve the indoor
environment and are useful in fighting the modern phenomenon of Sick Building Syndrome
(An illness affecting workers in office buildings, characterised by skin irritations, headache
and respiratory problems). No specific cause of SBS has been identified but poor air quality,
excessive background noise and inadequate control of light and humidity are all thought to
be important factors. Plants have large surface areas and exchange of gases and water with
their surroundings take place. Plants can help tackle some of these issues.
Interior landscaping has become increasingly popular during the last 30 years. Most
architects now include plants in their design specification for new shopping centres, office
complexes and other public areas and they are something we all expect to see when we
walk through the door.
Plants have long been used to reduce noise from busy roads. More recently,
research has shown another benefit: interior plants can help to reduce background noise
levels inside buildings, too. Studies indicate that plants and their leaves absorb, diffract or
reflect background noise, thereby making the environment more comfortable for the
occupants. Certain plants are particularly good at absorbing high frequencies. Plants absorb
sound best in acoustically live spaces, such as those that feature hard surfaces.
Probably the most important role of plants in the environment is the production of
oxygen (O2) and the absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere during the
process of photosynthesis. Humans exhale carbon dioxide and inhale oxygen. A single
resting human breathes 6 lb. of oxygen a day.
Plants provide food for the masses. From elephants to mice, animals eat grass, nuts,
berries and twigs to fuel the body and activities. Humans too need plants to survive as it is a
form roughage. Some vegetables like lettuce and cucumbers can be consumed freshly while
Kai-lan (Chinese kale) and Siew Pak Choy are better eaten cooked. Besides that, plants
filter water, removing toxins and impurities, making safe drinking water and helping to reduce
the effect of man on the natural world.
ANIMALS
Throughout history, American Literature has produced many stories and poems
about the relationship between humans and animals. In Jack London’s short story, “To Build
a Fire”, and Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “The Raven”, the relationships between these animals
and their human counterparts are clearly displayed.
Fifty-eight per cent of all American households have at least one pet in the house.
There are more than 61 million dogs in US households today. More than half of all pet
owners stated they would want their pet instead of another person with them if they were
stranded on a desert island.
Percentage of pet owners who consider vaccinations and routine care critical
to their pet’s quality of life – 92
Amount spent by pet owners on veterinary care in…
Number of vets in the United States who perform surgery on pet fish – about
20
Cost of fish surgery–$350 to $1,000
Number of vets in the United States who specialize in pet dentistry – about 60
Average amount spent annually by pet owners on pet expenses–$1,266
Average amount spent on food, toys and treats annually–$750
Dog lovers have no problem telling you why the dog is considered man's best friend.
Loyalty, unconditional love, companionship and laughs. Dogs have the ability to feel deep
affection and project unfailing good will. They are often good natured, accepting partners of
our domestic circumstances. Dogs seldom complain, never threaten to leave us and always
forgive our failings. Their constancy can be a comforting presence as we manoeuvre our
way through the obstacle course of modern life.
A small number of blind people employ guide dogs to assist in mobility. These dogs
are trained to navigate around various obstacles and to indicate when it becomes necessary
to go up or down a step. However, the helpfulness of guide dogs is limited by the inability of
dogs to understand complex directions.
Dogs are used in therapy for Alzheimer's disease and in clinical settings as comfort
for the terminally ill. Between Jan. 19 and Jan. 31, 2008, no fewer than five different families
in the United States and Canada were saved by their dogs when their homes caught fire. All
of this substantiates the old saying that dogs are man's /woman's best friend. One breed of
dog is especially prized for its fierce loyalty.
Narcotics Detector Dogs (drug dogs, dope dogs, narc dogs) are active, energetic
working dogs and pace-setters in the detection of illicit narcotics. These special dogs are
trained to be obedient and to focus under distraction. Narcotic detector dogs learn to perform
narcotic searches in buildings varying in size and complexity while working through a
number of distractions.
In Japan, neko (cats) are regarded as both auspicious and fearful. The way cats
wash their faces look as if they are inviting good luck, so cats with that gesture are
represented in an auspicious ornament as maneki-neko (a beckoning cat). In restaurants
and other business in which customer turnover is important, it is customary to display a
figure of a maneki-neko (招き猫). There is the saying, "Kill a cat and you will be cursed for
seven generations".
Japanese neko
The cat-human relationship dates back to ancient times. The Muslim prophet
Mohammed is said to have found a cat sleeping on his robe, so he cut a hole in his robe
rather than disturb the sleeping cat. Animal worship in ancient Egypt is part of the culture of
daily life of Egyptians. Animals of every kind were respected and revered, as they were in
close contact with deities and gods that the average Egyptian could not reach. The cat in
ancient Egypt, or miw, was a sacred and respected beast. These small companions
fascinated the Egyptians and were venerated by all. It was in Egypt that the cat was first
domesticated 4,000 years ago and where they were held in the most admiration and respect.
There is evidence of wild felines around the banks of Egypt but it was not until around 2000
BCE that the fully domesticated cat was brought into the houses of Egyptians.
The first domesticated Egyptian cats in Egypt were more than likely used for warding
off the common asp and other snakes and the typical chasers of rodents. Slowly though, the
cat became more to the Egyptians than just a normal animal, the cat became a god. The
ancient Egyptians took their cats on hunting excursions instead of dogs. Statues of cats
were placed outside the house to protect the inhabitants and to ward off evil spirits. This
showed scientists that the cat had become an integral part of the ancient Egyptian family life.
With the humans, sometimes, it is difficult to know when the love you express toward
pets is returned in any discernable measure. With an animal it would appear that they are
always glad to see you, dogs especially but cats too, will express their delight that you are
home from work or from school. Your animals depend upon you for their food, for their home
to be kept safe, for there to be a level of companionship and a commitment for their care.
These are not wild animals anymore; these are your domesticated companions. It is
unconditional love and attention that you receive from your pets and although they cannot
communicate with you as a human being they do let you know when their needs are not
being met.
Animals can teach all sorts of "good" qualities. As an example, let us say that you are
afraid of taking the plunge. You are afraid of going out on that limb to say to another person,
"You intrigue me. I wish to spend more time in your company." Afraid to even take that first
step toward companionship with another person, with a dog all you have to do is get out the
plastic poopy bag and reach for their leash and you know in a heartbeat that going on a walk
will appear to be the most incredible thing to have happened in that dog's life in the last hour.
What an animal cannot give you are the deeper levels of companionship you would
get from a person. What they can give you is the feeling that there is another being that
depends upon you, who is interested in you and who likes to be with you. An animal will help
to keep you connected when you really don't want to have a thing to do with the human race.
If you spend the time, you can create a level of interest with other species of animals too.
Even wild ones will eventually become accustomed to your presence and come to expect
that you will provide for them. The squirrels in your backyard are no dummies and know
you're good for some peanuts when you walk out the back door. Charles Darwin once said
“Nothing exists for itself alone, but only in relation to other forms of life.”
CONCLUSION
Love, however you want to call it…huge or a passing infatuation, is still love. It can
run deep as the bottom of the ocean to span the centuries and cross lifetimes as for the
eternal and enduring attraction to your soul mate or to interaction among members of your
soul families, but it is still love between the species.
What if the saying, "Love makes the world go round" was more true than you think?
What if it were so true that everything that occurred, everything that transpired had at some
point endeavoured to teach about love? We admit that trying to see where love was involved
in instances of terror or natural disasters is a stretch, but it is there.
We must always be appreciative and cherish what we have. Sometimes, these happy
feelings would not last forever. Everything has to come to an end someday whether we like it
or not. Therefore, enjoy life to the fullest and spread the love. Happiness is often contagious.
Don’t be shy to say “I love you” to your parents or siblings. We must show them how much
we care for them. Celebrating ‘Teachers’ Day’, ‘Friendship Day’ and ‘Valentines Day’ should
be done annually. Hellen Keller once said, “The best and most beautiful things in this world
cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Websites
Love
What is Real Love http://www.reallove.com/about.asp
Family Relationship
Friendship
Why plants?
http://www.plants-in-buildings.com/whyplants.php
THE END