7 F8 @# W" T& N/ J# [/ }$ v" x8 hBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.( b4 f8 [/ E2 Q. h8 k
! c1 _3 [# B' N: F& r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。* P6 k6 \% C" n+ U
; R `- C' h7 P @0 ]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. 4 X, y: M$ a+ s & V/ a w. n qBelker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。2 I7 v, w4 ?) t
( y e/ c' T1 S/ D" ^8 o9 u+ mI 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. ) v+ W& |3 ~) O3 \3 } 2 C, r. y) [ v+ B s/ ]# G* p2 {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。; D4 I4 k h1 g4 I- E! A
4 a% p; X; o" xAs 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 V6 Q% s2 n% a/ B, F3 \ # v. r& P& m4 v; B# A) \" r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。 ; G! ?" `- f* w+ \' D- J7 g, j* l9 G6 x6 Y# ^* ?8 J
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. ' W- K3 U2 }' y1 u- X5 f/ p, Y. J5 w- F- O. v; V# t+ @. y
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 z% F1 S5 e) k
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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.* M8 V6 ?( a2 O+ g8 q% H; G7 X
. ^& ]; r$ h1 @1 J: a" WShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."5 }& Y. w- d% P: d3 F& |
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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。」+ n# j* D' I$ o8 T _3 e- y
$ z# O6 t- z# _' a+ u* I# LStartled, 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?"8 Y" m4 ^9 p- ~$ t! i6 U0 x
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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？」 8 S# _; g5 `% `$ z( @8 j) g2 u& f a/ ]5 x$ ], q
The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com). J" a5 S6 F4 t
2 K1 Q$ N4 _" _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) , ~: k( F" ^1 v* W8 [2 ^; E 1 E, _1 E0 v9 R) s& Y詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死3 Z; |9 e0 [3 P" x) t$ U
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2.transition：過渡，轉變 . D% c1 s3 \: J3 g/ V 3 A( S# ^6 X/ P f7 s5 E9 ]3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出 / [. C7 e" y/ Z2 Q0 x$ { 1 s0 O4 |* G4 w2 u2 P( p●狗老師的啟示… / {5 b' S( E7 |8 C& S4 {6 ^7 |. }* ^/ w3 V4 N7 b1 f
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: $ ` r$ `- {3 I0 k9 o" }, @3 o# C q! j% j5 F
記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： 8 k) g1 N9 z% X; A0 \( Q. ]. r 3 K+ K, c8 ^3 ~9 xWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them./ q* r8 l) d" ~. h6 t: h2 u
4 I; l- K& O3 [' u. C* Q% A' ?當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 ( f ^3 C# b9 @3 v* Y* ~' ^/ j5 D& w. p4 l3 c
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. 4 f* d- k- T0 h' r! I, k- @5 S5 Z7 I1 p
永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。 ' A# N8 G. Z0 ^6 ~* l9 j9 Z % w' e$ [' Q( H' D' N" dThrive on attention and let people touch you.! N2 h8 ~& W3 }* ]% l. j
/ H6 c4 S; b; I. g! O2 ?( q/ V隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。 6 G6 ^+ o5 @" R$ W; }- d- [$ s3 J# r p' L; C
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. * F1 V: E1 l% @9 E7 M% u . [; v u6 V# B. e$ J7 l- ^- _高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。 : Q2 j! r0 {6 s* r, ? 4 q; @8 i% C8 U1 |9 L7 MBe loyal. 3 g4 [( W# c2 D8 Q# }/ W2 M3 D+ j) V5 c7 f3 e# d
忠誠。7 P3 z% L% I& A/ S
* @1 L$ {- c# [# w- P2 N. ^ iNever pretend to be something you're not. & B: C+ {. \5 \( \. d7 K% t% i" [ 6 m4 z4 c! g; V# J1 J: T永遠不假裝。 4 c6 D! |- A7 g* D2 ` ; m. h7 R. U7 g. Q" I" bWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. " A& E7 G0 d5 z8 s0 }8 U; |0 x: d5 |; L9 e& R
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。0 K- K8 m8 b9 p6 j8 e8 a6 R) o. r