I'm sorry, but this photo still cracks me up.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Sorry for the lack of posts. It's been a busy few weeks and I've been in a bit of a post election funk.
In missing my doggie TJ lately, Mike sent me this email from a veterinarian with a great explanation about the lives of animals. I thought it was absolutely perfect.
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 Shane could 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, "Everybody is born so that they can learn how to live a good life like loving everybody and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, animals already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay here as long as people do."
There have been many a day that I don't know if I would have survived without the love of my pet to get me through.
Happy Thanksgiving-we have much to be thankful for in spite of the world in front of us at this moment.
In missing my doggie TJ lately, Mike sent me this email from a veterinarian with a great explanation about the lives of animals. I thought it was absolutely perfect.
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 Shane could 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, "Everybody is born so that they can learn how to live a good life like loving everybody and being nice, right?" The four-year-old continued, "Well, animals already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay here as long as people do."
There have been many a day that I don't know if I would have survived without the love of my pet to get me through.
Happy Thanksgiving-we have much to be thankful for in spite of the world in front of us at this moment.
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