, E' l r1 i% ?Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. 0 Q2 N7 E$ C4 \$ F" J4 y0 w + r# l: I5 ~5 E9 \ y$ ]) |' _9 i0 O. l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。 + g8 H0 O$ |, i8 E4 c; ~; c7 C2 w+ C7 Z' B) Y
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.! \: K2 k8 V8 t" {
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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。 6 T9 l4 |; C. r' A0 N2 u4 B; ?2 ?
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* e% ]3 W" e L' |% n. n% ?$ Q) N
A: A: T" b3 D4 V6 E3 x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。 % q1 k' e' Y! n/ Q 9 N5 L _9 W$ W, V& zAs 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. ; i6 i7 j8 W* m5 [3 x+ _9 w 2 |" D3 m/ M1 i$ E0 v( M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。 6 b3 A0 W: o5 ]' w; w, g6 F4 X1 P1 w* S( k
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.( ?% Z8 \0 S9 C& X( Y
4 u9 F5 Z+ {% @: X4 k9 d7 [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。! Q6 a, l+ v# \
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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. * G; o8 ^' f! ~. R; T( }2 K# ?; I Z0 Z8 N
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。7 p- K7 b$ R' i! p4 w6 }6 |
- p5 h0 ~: D4 s+ v, P# ?$ QShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." & E- v8 h1 y, x/ E6 i, Y1 V0 v7 n6 c, j! h6 \* M% g
靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」 3 J) ], I0 t' F, W6 h, k+ G X 2 q. q V# C- L3 Y, p7 b i0 p8 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?" , H+ M2 m$ b8 v+ n; r 5 S# O0 p. z1 Y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？」/ G/ D: i2 j: @( r, ]
* ^* F$ C5 h; ~6 T- W$ uThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)! p: d0 z9 i$ l( b8 X
- k/ {$ S9 A, ]% m% a2 ~4 [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 W2 ^6 B; m8 j3 F * h. b4 R& r+ [5 U詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死9 O7 B: A" Z9 f# }. U4 V; Z ?
7 D# D3 D' X" q9 ^- y. _0 C; i2.transition：過渡，轉變 ( {* Q \' _! c a ' f: u+ N) ]7 B; y2 |3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出 ' s0 j2 [9 D" a5 v, `1 U, I) \9 Z& b5 p2 Z: M
●狗老師的啟示… h% V; _7 E, e3 W# B- @) k% c& t! j. T I( H2 f
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: 9 s/ O0 P2 t: W) X( F* _% R% U* \' X! f; g4 s |* i
記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： % q1 ^: u3 [+ N6 s5 B6 s( n4 ?& d" ^( j' z; e
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.0 R) {* I9 }, k+ S' |0 [
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當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 + l( A5 F! `: }5 D 6 n& h- P& Y( {& f q" FNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.5 j' i: P8 D, F8 I/ ]: h/ m
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永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。 2 x2 i( B: b3 s( v% K; r( U , d# C# b5 p5 B: c! [; pThrive on attention and let people touch you. C7 ]( |3 O7 s, m2 L4 n; @ 5 D/ e9 `& q& n* s1 |6 D隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。 , }: ?! J5 G3 L3 f/ E' q$ b * J' A, P+ h' `8 [# e' ]( W7 L. BWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.( l# q {$ u! k1 U
+ U! J$ ~) j& k( \高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。 9 A* \' p; a' A2 m! I 8 c: w9 N6 ^# Q$ i0 a% @2 ABe loyal. 5 h g5 ~4 w0 h* [) Z: C. a8 v# K) h) o( Y
忠誠。 ' m% @2 `) d" h" N+ S6 M- w2 R3 I2 L4 q
Never pretend to be something you're not. ' Y6 |9 O# j d! x$ e! @ - c* b; ?& i* |1 ?7 T永遠不假裝。4 E' L0 [ u- w6 s9 D# h3 G
3 \6 y! R. e$ iWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. ! M$ E0 \+ q6 o. q3 T : V3 l' P/ \9 ]5 e8 q1 G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。% }4 l) w1 C( b* y, d6 m
1 o( J# q$ j# l F% pRead 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3 h6 Y% R# [# T