Island Med Student

As long as I can remember I’ve been a “cryer.” I cry at SPCA commercials, ridiculously silly movies, and yes, even that one episode of Jeopardy. I never really thought that much about it until I worked with seriously ill people every day. I see tragically sad patient cases all the time. I’ve watched patients die and have dealt with a variety of very sad incidents. I’ve realized that my threshold for tears is set a bit lower than most of my peers. Try as I might, I’ve had to excuse myself out of patients’ rooms at times. As much as I try to separate myself from situations, I find it incredibly difficult to not cry at sad circumstances (for better or for worse).

From what I know about psychological theories, I can understand why my threshold for crying could be related to my upbringing. But it never seemed so real as is it did a few weeks ago. I was watching an incredibly silly, poorly made, Disney-esque movie involving some dogs. Really, it was not a reason for an adult to cry. It was just an infantile, fun-loving movie. But during one scene I felt the tears well up in my eyes. I tried to hold them back, but they poured down my face in rebellion. Then I looked around the room and saw my mother and sister crying as well. They had the same problem as me.

Call it nature. Call it nurture. Call it a ridiculous love for dogs. Call it what you might, but I realized at that moment that I came from an emotional gene pool.

I’ve thought about it many times since then. I know that the fact that I came from such a loving family has had a lot to do with the person I am. We express our emotions. We don’t hold back. We laugh out loud. We cry out loud. We bitch out loud. We YELL out loud! And that is something that I have always been proud of. Regardless of how many times it has made me look silly.

In addition, I came from a very “animal intense” and dog loving environment. I grew up on a farm, surrounded by many different types of animals. I have never not had a dog in my life. And for that I am grateful.

Tonight my mother sent me this “silly” email about “A Dog’s Purpose.” She warned me that it would make me cry. Well, it made me sob uncontrollably. And my sisters all replied saying the same. We share that same intense bond.

And I realized that I do try to live life like a dog, as the email encouraged. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Below is the story. Cry, or don’t cry. Laugh or don’t laugh. But either way, I hope you enjoy it:

A Dog’s Purpose (from a 6-year-old):

As 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 affer 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 in 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.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!