Logic Of A Child

[martymas]

The Logic Of A Child.....

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THE LOGIC OF A CHILD.....

Why people have to live longer than dogs- THE LOGIC OF A CHILD.....

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."

[blim]

How true. Now I need to leave the room to hug my dog

Liz