- C. D: B+ N! N# D. c! t( pBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker." b+ x! S8 R$ P6 i0 `- _
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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 q7 v' M/ O. ^9 y+ q) x; e+ Y, w* T4 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. ( N- T2 ]+ _2 x( ?- j4 e& g: R" n2 v0 B2 |8 p) G
Belker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。/ c! h, p; j8 [
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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. . y& |7 }' _) w P4 i: ]1 O / d+ d) W3 J2 Q& Q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。; G* ?5 I* K4 f- e+ o, l
& ?! n5 U1 ?" H! V; h6 I- r dAs 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." O' K3 J# |, y) h: V! F
% `( W* `0 D/ X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。 ; Q! P' Q$ @9 g( C 4 F0 n d. W, ^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. ) @. v! \, J& b1 T6 q/ T6 n7 _: J3 B, ~; |7 G' f6 j* x, V
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。 ( i6 ]2 Y/ P5 M $ i0 F& V, b* @. @, ?* Z" P& aThe 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. 4 T5 ~( |3 S3 I8 l ( A! k9 \5 `( U, t% s) p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。& l; D8 W! {$ _
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Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." 7 K" l2 ?+ K4 h1 J6 @# J ; p" y# j* x" s靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」: z) A; k1 Z C3 y- x
4 a& d# `' p: x% x7 D- J& `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?" A/ i) y8 k1 n' t + C4 v l" b1 G, W. L( [6 U( N3 f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？」, Q q- y3 j- |. [! @: C
! m: g* B+ ^; F# f& UThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com) " {) N4 g: M. N( T q& S) r* A% }4 W) o- q) E
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 N$ b4 ^! Q7 n) v2 B
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詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死 # V" P2 D3 R$ r9 E C# I; _9 g, g3 D1 ]. y8 X
2.transition：過渡，轉變) F$ w3 D" M4 R
# m/ c: p/ Z1 Q3 h: F- n3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出: k3 j* P1 Z# Y7 A
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●狗老師的啟示…. e5 l& E6 o1 T( F4 ]2 V0 P
3 V3 Y" s0 {3 xRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:5 I, |; d- I" h) v1 ]
2 V8 t4 r3 G: O記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：; Y" k! }! u& l+ Z
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When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. 5 O! b: T* r* h. o2 i& m# [' w; ?; P! G# [
當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 % ^0 ?! U1 U% Z4 X D8 x! a% J ! ]+ G% T9 O( R" p, L8 _Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.) g: O; A! q9 N( i
9 ]- C- f+ f+ `" T5 n5 C1 ?永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。 ) v! C5 }8 ]$ n7 t; P! N3 s/ K: g6 g/ Z
Thrive on attention and let people touch you. * P, l6 ]" Y( i) u& t$ Z+ T% ?% R+ e
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。' `& s7 t- y6 g! H
5 Y% e7 e) T+ H7 D1 g( |, JWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.) }* Z, C0 Z6 ]3 C& Y) S4 i! F
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高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。, c5 r- P' G3 p- ^; F/ I6 F
) [/ ~' x S/ XBe loyal.- o* B! `+ e+ _$ d
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忠誠。 ; e' B6 \% j( F0 X3 J4 s h8 x/ E0 [2 m
Never pretend to be something you're not. ' @0 ^" \0 g, D 4 q. b$ }. J& u) G) I/ L永遠不假裝。! u& l/ h) {* p. D7 u# x+ P% B/ [
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When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. % S# B/ z4 L9 @% f: A. `* c6 X* `8 U/ \. w
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。 ; |" ]9 d1 S3 l! k% a9 I `1 ~2 A( Z3 }
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8 {: |+ @: ` r" T0 ]; o" S