comforting story

nemo

I read this story somewhere and thought it was so true:

_____________________________

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish
Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owner, his wife, and their little boy
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, the owners told
me
they thought it would be good for the four-year-old boy to observe the
procedure. They felt he could learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family
surrounded him. The little boy 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. The little boy, 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.
The boy said, "Everybody is born so that they can learn how to live a
good
life, like loving everybody and being nice, right?" He continued
calmly,
"Well, see? Animals already know how to do that, so they don't have to
stay
as long."

__________________________

Still brought a tear to my eye though.
____________

annestaff

Aww thats a lovely way to look at it, thanks for sharing Nemo Smile