5 _! W' o8 Q- |8 K; o) x# g& v) EBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.5 g- D; @! p; a) m% P7 B: @) g8 U
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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。 8 \8 a" B, V: d. t& _* b& G9 x. |: {$ l9 p1 w7 P X
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.( u8 p. ` ]7 }
) z9 C' x& Z. u/ K; A7 J! \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。8 v% n" s8 ]& w& B& Y$ t
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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. 1 S: X9 A% `' d8 K% M" ?: Y; e9 _, R9 g
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。/ c" C3 r) c' b2 \) z
% q/ N7 w) `' U2 HAs 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 h" k& k, i# o/ `$ ^$ \+ x$ n/ D* k$ p2 J2 O
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。 ) ~* X) s" G- v$ p 7 B$ u9 S) M9 r! \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. / D1 F- f1 u, m$ {& q( N4 U0 A ! b3 F' l/ ~# ?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。 7 |8 f* E- i# U W: G# } " `- F; C8 O3 {( Q4 WThe 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. 2 L9 `+ Q# ]6 ]6 a; H* ?+ |6 C' U) F0 f% W
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。 * N2 S" ?% b, n1 D2 D+ E' K 0 ~% D. D7 Q* p- ZShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."$ t! k" C9 r0 P5 K
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靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」 U2 F7 o+ Q8 M; v
. j! {# F5 x+ S" h8 k" EStartled, 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?" & L( `1 j+ Z( X6 J8 H- W. m 4 d: l, Q) q5 e! |/ n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？」5 I' b" ~( Z6 {4 ]1 q1 x6 r$ q
/ K( O4 n- l, C5 aThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)! p5 E9 P! ?& G$ J5 @0 o* P/ N' j% T
( x: T$ k6 L* a$ J+ u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)( o- f' S4 w" {+ S% Z4 O/ M
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詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死 a3 W# i3 ]) J, w
. t- R& P: } w7 U' e; J' U2 r2.transition：過渡，轉變 0 I+ Z" b5 k( U3 ]2 |4 X9 F' W3 c N4 S. e$ R% T& K, l! ?3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出, w" R) i1 @3 J( i# [; X" w- i
0 q. H a. G t! o, I●狗老師的啟示… 5 x( n% h4 V7 I' b4 t: ?* L0 A7 s* e2 {. [# `7 @5 V" [
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: 0 V# l/ I: S! b) e( _ 7 W5 Q+ L, n6 L& ]! _( V6 X5 D記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： # O# C( X, c! ? 8 l2 u/ j7 [, ?$ AWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them. + h, G2 S% V+ e8 |5 n # @2 r v$ A/ g* b7 E當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 + x. h6 o& R( z {# b. T* G . O& L2 g7 R1 d$ Q1 R; E bNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.; `4 G. W8 z. E1 Y8 P5 I+ i
/ i* p3 x' u8 R+ p% G永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。' Y A6 Z5 |* [) [1 Y
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Thrive on attention and let people touch you. 4 M: ]% W) X# K9 e3 e& X) k0 ?- A) v/ |" z6 a! _2 V8 C' C
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。3 m' b; U' A) F9 \
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When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. 9 X& e% \0 u. D0 s% x+ V/ y c$ ` V0 p. v, H1 ~
高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。) y( z; k! M' }) L
* U9 |1 i: a9 C2 ~* d: NBe loyal.3 A3 X) h- D6 |. M. r. T9 p/ E
. Y$ Y. x2 F- d6 r2 {4 |忠誠。- {6 F" U$ w0 O
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Never pretend to be something you're not.8 Q. c6 L8 J, \
+ q1 _" k( [1 r. [! @; z4 Y2 I永遠不假裝。 ) D7 Z, }2 y# s- X7 i0 O% q7 V$ M4 ^1 h. I N9 b' L
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.+ i1 L/ D* @: O) n2 o
8 g6 ?. o2 M- C6 }$ 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。 3 M. @) w* x, D4 D6 } 6 q. r+ F# z ]8 w# VRead 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; c; i+ L' d, r2 r