A Dog's Purpose
Why Dogs Don't Live Longer Than People...
Being a veterinarian, I had been 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 there were no miracles left 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. Leave the rest
to God.