i loved this when i saw it on a website, so i'm turning it into a quote c:
why do dogs leave earth first?
answered by a child.
being a vetinarian, i had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dogs 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 that he had cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything more 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 their 6-year-old son to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next day I felt a familiar catch in my throat as Belkers family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time. I wondered if he even knew what was going on. Within a few minutes Belker slipped away peacefully. The little boy seemed to accept Belkers transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belkers passing, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animals lives are shorter than humans.
Shane, who was listening, piped up and said "I know why."
Startled, we all turned round to him. What came out of his mouth stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try to live.
He said, people are born so that they can learn how to live a good life - like loving everybody at the same time and being nice, right?
The six-year-old then continued, "well, dogs already know how to do that, so that don't have to hand round as long, do they?"