A
Dog's Purpose - from a 4 year old
Being a veterinarian, I was called to
examine a ten year old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
The dog's owners,
Ron, his wife Lisa and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker
and they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found he was
dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and
offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be
good for the four-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though
Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt
the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed
so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood
what was going on.
Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any
difficulty or confusion.
We sat together for a while after Belker's
death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than
human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned
me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.
He said, "People are
born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all
the time and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, dogs
already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."
Live
simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Be loyal. Leave the rest
to God.
How touching! "Out of the mouths of babes"
Thank you for sharing that lovely reminder about living a good life.