s.com/ 
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 much 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.
