Thursday, February 4, 2010

A Dog's Purpose


IMG_0041, originally uploaded by Mssslaydbug.

This story sums it up perfectly. This is titles

A Dog's Purpose (through the eyes of a 6 year old)

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 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 six-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 six-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.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

11 comments:

  1. I never fail to tear up when I read this...Such wonderful lessons are learned from dogs and children. Thanks for sharing this.

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  2. So true. All humans need to read this daily. Reminds us of what's REALLY important.

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  3. A wonderful story and a great reminder to all of us to appreciate every moment we have with our furry ones.

    Woos, Phantom and Thunder

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  4. So Very True, and if a picture says a thousand words, then this one says a million.



    Hamish & Rescue Sophie

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  5. Now I understand the expression "from the mouth of babes". Hmm
    Thank you for the heartwarming, eye-watering post.
    Twink!

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  6. I recently passed that story on to a young friend who lost her Weimeraner to cancer. It made her feel better because it is so true. We lost our Dylan to lymphoma many years ago. The vets initially only gave him a few weeks at most. They put him on prednisone and a soft, canned cancer diet made by Medical to incraese his appetite. He lived another four months and we cherished every moment. May you enjoy every precious moment.

    Heather & the Nuthatch Gang

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  7. we like the story thank you..
    Benny & Lily

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  8. I do all I khan to remind my mom!

    She's pretty good at taking my hints!

    Thank woo fur sharing these pawesome sentiments!

    Hugz&Khysses,
    Khyra

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  9. That's the truth buddy. We have that story on our blog layout to remind everyone about it. It's very special for us to hear it from you though. We hope that you have many good days and that you enjoy them all. We're with you Chandler.
    - TBH&K

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  10. A great reminder of how precious life is and how lucky we are to have dogs as part of our lives--They continue to teach and inspire me.

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  11. Amazingly wonderful!!! Great post.
    Blessings.

    Hugs and snaggle-tooth kisses,
    Sierra Rose

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