Working as a vet(兽医), I met a family who taught me an unforgettable lesson. They came to my clinic with their dying dog, Coco. I examined Coco and found he was old and had a serious illness. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Coco, and euthanasia(安乐死)would be best for the dog.

    On that day, their little boy Eric seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if Eric understood what was going on.

The little boy seemed to accept Coco's death without any difficulty. We sat together for a while after Coco's death, explaining that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

    Eric, who had been listening quietly, piped up:\"I know why. \"

    He said, "People need a lifetime to learn how to live a good life-like loving everybody and being nice, right? The six-year-old boy continued, "Well, animals already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

    I'd never heard a more soft-hearted explanation as to why animal lives are so short. It has changed the way I live. I see every day as the day that my life could be easily taken away, so I try to live my life to the fullest.