) O' ?8 E6 A8 ?$ T: ?. _: \6 mBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. / w- p2 W u3 ]5 ?1 ~) H2 }2 J1 p7 v, |* }7 S0 C& y/ m
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。+ E% T8 u9 g+ `& b* q1 O
: _$ T' n* N' W- R. j9 o- HThe 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. 5 [0 p \1 ~& g4 j! t+ k+ Z0 h9 y) f% c5 P V
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。+ V) G, q$ [# F3 @: G' K1 M
$ B# k$ k( ?; A! ~1 ~: `+ u: SI 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. / g8 C: L q! u# b 8 C, p& `. P1 {6 ^8 c6 z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。+ Y* R7 l6 d9 {
" w7 a4 R& H% E% E( ?0 D. nAs 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.& [6 s7 U) R p/ v1 q' ~+ E
! }3 W6 r. k- p6 r L2 l4 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。% A: B% ?/ g* O' J9 L1 r
4 A' c1 S8 Z! [4 WThe 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." X+ t& a. \2 [5 [5 c' @
1 t- s- P( o& A0 |6 s, H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 p6 y0 P; y, g7 Z$ h
8 F' s; L4 K& E" ]' J" bThe 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.* p2 Y6 m8 N2 L2 [. L5 J
0 w) q% ?1 G0 \; u0 ~. G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。 * O; l7 w0 U$ Q8 t; j7 @5 v" F; f! R" D$ {
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." " L: s; k1 S3 Y& M6 p! c H- ^8 l" N
靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」 0 A( Z8 F6 N0 X4 _, H& E( L- t1 H" X! ]# b% H# d
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?"0 n6 u' A8 e% Q& j
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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？」7 p: J& Z' ~; l n
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The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)! Q5 E5 y6 K; `! r2 ]
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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) " C0 @: Q: d% g; l5 ~2 b( W2 {2 T- P8 W1 T/ f% o5 Y/ A
詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死2 j; j" L4 q6 r& z* s0 ]" U6 c
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2.transition：過渡，轉變2 [3 _8 `; }) r# m& z
$ ]% k% j# `9 ?% P+ s0 Y●狗老師的啟示… ' E7 `4 D3 F8 v' o ) g) g: d+ @+ U/ `6 l. B. _Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:* T) W1 a; l- a+ O6 G5 Q
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記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： ; I) R7 x( `7 O# m' m: Q2 A1 [6 h' [/ {# m; I( _* Z
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. % g+ S# _7 P! e: ^; W4 \) p+ b8 g, e! {. G6 G* H
當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 3 R1 _; _" O# V0 e/ {. s2 G8 H) q# g, e6 Y8 l( J( W
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.$ ^9 G$ W$ M; u' w, O
; q; e( C, } i2 ]+ L5 p永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。 ( o# m K% H( S& R2 H s+ ] 7 A& @! J4 y6 ?7 v5 F# A4 E LThrive on attention and let people touch you.( b( H: N# a9 W7 e/ \1 V* {
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隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。* X/ {2 w0 A3 F) [ M' V
( Y$ f9 y4 a Y/ {' yWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. ) O; {1 H2 c) L7 ]7 o2 H: X/ x* _. F7 g: k# F* P( G) H
高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。2 Z! z; S( }% J! Y
8 c" U: d0 F4 l8 ~& p5 Y" g3 a, eBe loyal.& `" H% ?& s& j2 b* i1 e2 b
; J( Z& _& R, _ T& a忠誠。0 D4 q! z8 d D3 p* Q, s
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Never pretend to be something you're not. 1 A' `$ v( H8 Z! t3 v) n1 r9 w9 A0 i" W
永遠不假裝。 j6 J0 a5 l/ K( e* k' J
% q! j( G8 }+ q# `5 D0 G9 lWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.& v0 p1 U J* M3 f/ U' S9 P( Y
: }4 S( H' n O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。 3 f. s* L* R ~( c: Q' f# S 6 R: H; ]7 q3 QRead 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" h. t: g4 i' G# G" f8 _2 x