! X9 G0 |) r, B, c, QBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. # J% @- j! k0 Q! w* a2 H s& e& o, `' w, J+ B! {
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。: U/ \' Q5 Y3 K; [* ^
4 Y0 h& z5 d) K$ c5 m: Q, {" cThe 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.% T8 c6 y% O1 J5 C/ n- M3 n
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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。 X/ I6 F6 O$ p. } t/ n& a: S. ~& J
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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. ' t$ o; \9 j1 y+ @: n' N. G ! j! H8 x& I5 \8 N* N% L/ X: U$ I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' c6 S) i7 _! B3 ^2 ]6 c
9 c3 U2 {# o8 O5 @/ 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., P1 _* Q N: I, R; M. e1 p. {8 h
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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) R4 m2 L% l2 i$ @( w * Q9 B* M- T0 p8 }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.) k Q/ @: `" U( o' H; F+ j6 l7 U
6 x D+ l s! y7 ]8 J7 _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。 # H, R% v( L5 ]# w( Y, f+ b3 T% a' A5 u `& S, z
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.) n$ X( ^" w9 K
+ N3 v0 h3 c0 X. W/ s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。) P& R9 D6 l6 E, z
' k: W1 z& x5 p" nShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." , c8 U) a/ D! x! M a+ P% v ' p) F: U7 E" H/ O靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」+ `4 |/ z2 ^7 N% ^6 D2 [
" W$ ^+ ~5 q5 h7 i7 @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?"5 K$ X1 R8 d2 e% E f6 T0 z
8 l% @0 c+ F9 i$ k3 H, o+ O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？」 4 Z6 t& w' E; F$ w. Z0 f1 M # e. B# ^8 G$ k5 j oThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com) 8 T6 I* W+ S/ p, D+ u0 G; v8 a; K) S9 X! ^( n* \
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) # l( d1 q+ V4 b$ G$ x5 z' { 7 c4 ?" @* ]9 e) K. L' [詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死" O! V. i2 I4 y
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2.transition：過渡，轉變 $ q' H' \( R% h# F' @3 I, N# W, X/ A O* g, w7 Z7 C1 `1 j
3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出 ) `. I% P7 q0 ~% i4 j6 }; o5 m) n, |5 O) Z6 S& W
●狗老師的啟示… M3 ^5 @. F% B# {
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: / t: U" b: x+ E- a2 s! Z/ k% N% a6 @5 z f9 B) Z4 y, P
記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： + K6 _5 M( }* U$ L5 e& n/ D- R/ O9 a
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. " k' Z3 w8 r7 s) K- c& |; i0 i4 o, U& ], K
當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。! T a1 f3 ^8 Y
1 ?5 I8 M `8 T( P. VNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.. O- y7 {% Q& ]% ^. m
; y6 L6 |, E* B8 e永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。" F" d0 [# w! r0 ?8 [7 b2 m) I
) m& b, t* e- }6 WThrive on attention and let people touch you.4 _1 b. U5 S3 f1 @/ m/ A4 \% ?. G
6 m+ {& r$ H- b. |3 `隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。. w: M3 }6 C, i5 E2 `2 n
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When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. / E! N+ V3 @) }& I1 G) U' J% c e0 i: _! N1 f2 y0 k. p
高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。 / {1 M8 j$ Y9 T# [- N" B& i; h* G: O$ G/ ~9 G9 W( P( @. ~# D6 `: [
Be loyal. U& Y0 s3 |- X7 E0 n5 Q' U5 J) y. x+ x" g& F0 H
忠誠。 5 i, T: @' W9 h5 F; a- k8 B # H" T6 `8 x$ y4 K& R6 eNever pretend to be something you're not. 5 z1 ^, e- U4 i5 U 0 U0 d. H5 A% U- X0 J, M永遠不假裝。0 C- h' c- @# D1 k
; t0 k' {: } CWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. 5 C1 n2 o# H4 O0 w0 E0 P ) ]6 Q. A( D( \ e5 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。2 Q( N1 X, u+ n' a- j$ M4 @9 S
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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 " F$ l. _3 V. E( j0 |( U