Why Do Good People Die Young?

In light of all the recent deaths around the world, Amy asked the question why the good people die young. As we all know, the biggest headliner when it comes to deaths this whole month is Michael Jackson. It's a bit hard not to realise that it seems like the grim reaper is doing the annual audit and taking stock - 3 plane crashes with almost all on board dying, all the celebrities that have passed on, the deaths in the riots & bombings. It seems like every year, there's a certain time that there seems to be a few mass deaths. Do note that it's about the 7th month of the Lunar calendar. Ok... so maybe that's grasping at straws. But back to Amy's question:

Why the good ones die young?

She had asked this as we were talking about Michael Jackson and Princess Diana, and the reason why so many people mourn their deaths. Other than the fact that they were both celebrities, the outreach they had was actually because they were charitable people, using their celebrity status to help the needy. So because of what we were saying prior to her question, my answer was that maybe we all had a certain amount "good points" to chalk up. Once we got to our required amount of points, it was time to leave the earth. But this is saying that the people died in accidents or through sudden health-related issues, not through some other people's hands.

But actually the email I got from here says it all:

A Dog's Purpose
(from the heart of a 6-year-old boy)
as Told by a Veterinarian.

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-oldIrish 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 and said,

''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. It has changed the way I try and live.

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.''


* * *

Dogs are born knowing how to:

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

So if learning the 4 points above means that you've achieved what you're put on this world for and that your time in this world is complete, then maybe that's why people feel that the good die young. The people who achieve this would be seen as 'good' in the eyes of others, and since they leave this world so suddenly (basically not expecting you to die of old age), people tend to think that their lives were cut short.

Well.. some sort of point system if you ask me.