B3 h4 |/ h9 x% H6 L0 JBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.$ b4 Q7 |& @0 f5 U
1 T Y+ K* e7 h, F身為獸醫，我曾被找去為一隻名叫「Belker」的10歲愛爾蘭獵狼犬看病。+ A# i7 D- b4 Q6 P: z" \: N% e
, f$ V ^; k; @; n2 t# F% {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., d) L% B0 L i# A
: F- @5 L+ w1 S7 HI 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.- |* j4 ^/ Q0 c2 L. w
1 e+ z% _# i" a% y! A檢查後，我發現Belker罹患癌症，回天乏術；我告訴這家人，我們無法幫Belker做點什麼了，也建議在家中為牠實施安樂死。 6 l! d' }# B% J6 u/ x! N3 k5 y9 x' f: z" a* r$ d' ^
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. ' h- S% T4 ^3 d% c/ B; M" M6 F6 `1 ~4 i& u( _
在我們準備的時候，羅恩和麗莎告訴我，他們覺得讓西恩觀察整個過程會是好事，相信西恩也許能從這段經歷學到一些東西。; O& Y) R7 {: Z( w6 B; Q4 z% a
3 M/ b8 l& i: x8 B3 \6 b' s- lThe 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. 6 \8 J6 j8 W4 I Q2 C 0 n/ n7 e3 Q% S& O$ Q5 a隔天，這家人圍繞在Belker身邊時，我和以往一樣有了哽咽的感覺。西恩似乎很平靜，最後一次輕拍這隻老狗，我甚至懷疑他是否真的瞭解情況。幾分鐘之後，Belker安詳地死去了。- v( h2 S/ G1 f5 y; M
; q" h4 A( \' ]$ M% NThe 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.+ ^( e! p) q/ m7 T2 @. S
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小男孩似乎沒有太多困難和疑惑就接受了Belker的離去。我們在Belker死去後一起坐了一會兒，感嘆動物的壽命總是比人類短這個哀傷的現實。 , v+ Q9 A( A6 X9 V5 A8 t! W+ `4 Y5 V1 x" ]! _: f' v2 ?
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." 8 |* D3 M7 b" q+ m5 n! Y4 [, {3 P9 Q- Z0 W2 ]; T' l
靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」$ |# D% n& t+ x" F, Q: `
2 |0 K9 u$ G3 @$ X) ?% DStartled, 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?" 6 [& \: [- e0 J2 p1 ?: x { 8 y* J& c" M: F, u, ^ U* A我們非常驚訝地轉頭望著他，接下來他說的話，令我大為感動，是我聽過最令人欣慰的解釋。他說：「人們出生就是為了要學會如何過好生活，比如愛身邊的人，好好對待別人，對嗎？」: S1 ]; y* a7 k
5 z6 k0 L/ [( g4 u% l' NThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com): L$ E0 |& L4 U7 G
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這個6歲的孩子繼續說：「而狗狗原本就知道怎麼做到這些了，所以牠們不需要活那麼久。」(取材自allone.com) 5 J8 R0 V6 d0 M* ^% B% I , f7 b2 c( e! d+ v" R5 h* P8 _詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死) D% D0 [2 J* y/ q/ L
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2.transition：過渡，轉變 $ l: T0 v& T% y$ U) M( x# N6 d 9 v4 s; s# ^6 R, M# t4 `3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出 7 w ^. U! w6 @0 y9 m h0 \ ) {- l/ H! K. x" g, P6 p●狗老師的啟示…. [8 ?, M# [5 _. O0 c1 ^: j- }
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:% E0 v3 F5 U6 |7 R6 x1 o
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記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：1 ?/ n9 h) u/ R' o0 r# q3 z
& t& ?' R+ B3 g2 oWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them. / ?7 V3 O, ` F/ _2 }7 D: U+ R4 G t7 U6 I% i2 ]- t9 k$ T* N2 Z
當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。( x1 h4 G+ e* D9 I- x
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Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. 0 G( u' s, a2 R 6 ]0 g5 [! ]1 `" A6 m j永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。" c$ ~ L( @" y7 g. M. o' [1 \
. W- i" P; f+ S ^% MThrive on attention and let people touch you. % a5 P9 N0 T4 x `/ L+ ~( g* m+ B2 v- {6 L8 I+ _% Z" N0 W
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。 v6 l' [1 ]9 f
' U. ^5 a7 a tWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. 0 r9 v4 U; U/ f' [: n+ g, O9 Z0 w6 A) Q% d$ j$ a! u6 j& T& }
高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。( S; N/ _5 [: O, X# Q
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Be loyal. 1 R7 }6 r" u3 X9 }8 n8 q1 c1 O) x2 e# H: D3 M
忠誠。+ p. J; g1 ?1 E- \1 e6 Y
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Never pretend to be something you're not.. g& }6 m: O+ e* m
$ W8 _& w- U) V& h% E: g0 e# e% w永遠不假裝。 {3 V7 ~( Q1 `! N ; a; } g( \' y: A$ v) FWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. ) f s0 n H- Z7 X( G) G3 Z- v& n2 R: }7 Y 3 G! O. N1 N$ D& J如果家裡有人不開心，保持沉默，坐到他身邊，溫柔地拱拱他、安慰他。 ) G) \1 h1 Y& u, W# B5 }( i+ E5 o8 T5 E! \& w7 Q
Read more: 世界新聞網-北美華文新聞、華商資訊 - 狗狗天生知道如何愛 7 o6 t& L. O/ p/ }$ m) J