8 k& F0 y4 ~( qBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.$ X, f* F. H. X1 M# d
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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。6 _, p# ~/ n: [, h' P4 R
1 T+ @3 H8 z( G7 h: m" L( z- iThe 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. 6 H" ^; b6 m- B' {$ U 2 j, R; c. _2 P s: ~8 ABelker的主人羅恩，他的太太麗莎和他們的小男孩西恩都和Belker感情很好，也都期待奇蹟發生。1 V0 T3 P& ?) H
, G; K9 S' W9 r& m7 H* J, h# D# II 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. * {1 Y5 l6 U0 U8 i! n _ ' ]/ ]4 e7 L" M" _/ i4 G5 H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。 - ^* x5 r) X+ M; j) G3 ]. l1 ]+ L) D) }; _4 z) A. T1 q
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. 1 u/ {9 S. i3 x1 J+ R4 t9 F: ~/ _0 t- J+ F- E
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。3 S- F4 U* `8 K! ]
2 x4 y ~; ~7 @( C; I% aThe 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. 5 \: e- R! x" K$ _6 q4 N5 u + e6 Y% b; ^6 i& q# |! U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。3 H9 B, l4 [/ _* Z
% H2 U- B$ \; y, f+ M8 D+ MThe 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." d0 m9 J% z: q
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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。 # Y% J+ T3 G4 V" ^8 |6 w, Y- }. G0 |0 {) y
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." ' N2 O* t! k- w# A: G3 G3 q$ k. h8 M. ]! w. U
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* U5 C. @. F* Q
9 {1 H3 B# s: `9 K' A* [1 ZStartled, 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?". N- `1 d! q+ ^, g
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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？」 9 c4 b3 @, u! M1 Y: r! w9 H, c0 D2 q+ P3 ?8 [
The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com): Z* d* x7 O% d( H) { V
* y, u4 b, D% R6 ]+ A2 x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) 2 Z6 r3 Q, ]# b; `7 {& i o- _* s. l. b
詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死' c5 m8 j0 G, X4 U' y
1 m% H: n) F' h3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出$ j% U1 t$ i- ?$ H7 A
" f. N& s% i: Z1 T) L+ f●狗老師的啟示…+ L. @# @' Z4 c' S/ |
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:8 o6 N1 E) R. H6 k* {* |# _7 @
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記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：5 @2 N" j' T a6 g7 D$ n
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When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. + }* v. z: g0 I/ B+ f4 d 5 ^- K& j: T( v4 o/ R( S當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。* i3 z* {- F- R6 S0 {
" i. u- ~+ Z7 P/ N- _3 nNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.9 p" G; L% d3 y- Q
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永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。 * j8 V2 R- [1 g3 J7 y0 M7 T; }& \7 b2 ]0 p
Thrive on attention and let people touch you. % A; W& r& e+ _, x( y) O. k % g l7 N" ` L$ k隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。 2 ^4 r5 O( u4 L& ]: z; F ' v: q/ F9 l/ Y% V+ Z( O, ZWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. 4 C7 _7 C/ J! ?' W6 c: F & D% ?) T- q2 w% `7 b" O高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。 + i. P% n, P- ?( l+ t* Z( i5 K4 M9 K; f# j
Be loyal. - @8 g5 ]+ F/ m5 C, m3 W . L6 X# u- Q$ v# X+ N8 Z忠誠。 & Z, F; d+ l8 L. \ # B1 l! h0 F8 G; I7 zNever pretend to be something you're not. 2 `+ V3 |2 O# z4 E! ]% N6 Q8 X d z; B7 m3 _
永遠不假裝。 - a& Z$ U2 d/ D& L8 H ) w8 x- u. e+ zWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.% J7 f7 u; s5 Y, l4 q* n+ l3 ~
, { d! }+ V' y0 r4 G3 J0 A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。$ c2 E/ \& u; E- R K. }/ c
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