You're Extraordinary Too

We relish news of our heroes, forgetting that we are extraordinary to somebody too.

Helen Hayes

You may know that hugs can reduce stress and trigger our brains to release the happy hormone oxytocin . Did you know that the gaze between a dog or cat and its owner can release the same happy hormone? In a study posted at the National Library of Medicine titled “The Gaze Communications Between Dogs/Cats and Humans: Recent Research Review and Future Directions ”, researchers “discuss how the function of the gaze goes beyond communication to mutual emotional connection.” And, in the case of dogs, at least, those longing looks between dog and owner can also release that happy oxytocin hormone. Hugs and cheerful expressions - they cost nothing and benefit everyone.

About the author

Helen Hayes MacArthur (née Brown; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress whose career spanned 80 years. She eventually received the nickname “First Lady of American Theatre” and was the second person and first woman to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award (an EGOT). She was also the first person to win the Triple Crown of Acting; to date, the only other person to have accomplished both is Rita Moreno. Hayes also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, from President Ronald Reagan in 1986. In 1988, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts.