* H5 z9 B% c6 l* ~5 V4 @3 R4 bBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. / d2 @/ O( E. _! W! d$ t f2 _, C5 I. `! 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。 , K" U7 J5 O" k/ _( T/ F* z$ }; f8 c; h. V" a9 P9 v" [, @( o( ^1 l
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. 6 d* `$ q: e2 h9 |1 @ 2 ?1 X, N/ e5 Q& XBelker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。 7 _/ @" g& @( f# x1 e2 p. X [2 E5 ]# y2 Z9 z- b! G
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.- F( X! r; h, c& D$ w
; e4 V( {) Y# y6 A1 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。 ' Y" P, j; k% J' Q, Z. @* { 1 |3 A3 X# y( j" vAs 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. # B0 c. V$ f; E; E . K! U: \ I8 k% X0 B5 E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 T: Y6 N4 G6 U; n7 F 0 O5 p1 X7 S2 M' g# M* SThe 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.) @* @! X6 R" `& ~
3 Z! t9 D! h+ m8 s* @ p
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。 ; F, O+ E# ]6 Z6 s7 ]8 i) ]& n- ~. i. m
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. 0 [4 k, l) f ^2 b ) S4 X+ G# O( L0 r5 z" c3 s8 B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。 + [5 K* N' |6 R! h+ n$ x* @- J" H: p0 V
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." * R, f+ R8 {) U - H) h& _" F- o1 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。」- W, h. s6 S- ~8 v. J/ a& B/ }1 d- |
4 Z+ X5 k3 I) W+ V
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?"- K% Y) d; k+ I% A, `% W7 f9 P! q! Y
" W$ @. ?) }9 Q7 l4 I3 k
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？」 2 H5 Q4 K5 R3 U& {& x% \ ) l+ b$ l# `/ t6 ]The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)( Z6 e% B- ^. A# S% N* D
+ h1 \. i: w0 r9 D" h; D/ x4 Y; N3 b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) M. ^* p; X' Y2 W' Z- L, r: e* g
詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死 % n6 A) _& O7 g' l( M/ v 1 P# R# {2 n) x- B! n' |2.transition：過渡，轉變 " [5 \4 L3 G" z; _1 l+ `( j5 X" N m) Q3 N& s
3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出8 D7 {5 j3 A$ v; \$ R j
% _) c4 N# ^8 E5 F5 g* i
●狗老師的啟示…& `7 I! `( m; [7 \; L$ j
7 F) Z$ H' a, E# J* f I! Q% N3 k0 W4 ZRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:, z$ R3 b. {9 T( B' P7 l* {
. Q. I q3 D$ j0 o9 z
記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：4 Q. u2 g! B4 d* ]3 m$ q& ?
' `; K" T }* |; @When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.) h. X) C6 C2 ~' X8 S# h
& F) k6 C- g4 ^$ B" \% T8 D當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 7 |: h" V& ~% W- [* ~- R7 T( f0 f2 }
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.8 b1 w3 p/ e1 V' z
8 [. t! W" n/ Q9 C5 Z& W: {
永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。4 ~5 a8 U0 d8 |' F; h
+ s6 B; T; B8 L1 YThrive on attention and let people touch you.3 Q% R4 n6 R6 T$ k5 _
; w$ b F1 X7 w% i6 `# {( x5 C8 \, Q
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。- _6 a6 d( ?: n$ l9 R) J
1 h2 W5 ]) Q1 K0 A2 q, [( `" n, T
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.6 p( U0 I3 w4 O* F
' l) J' b7 A. V" z" L+ w
高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。 1 j: y, e0 B8 q! L( B2 {# I- k9 G 8 d7 \+ w* B1 MBe loyal. & s+ o/ F1 y% f# n1 }$ e, |) { |2 i" m! ?) o
忠誠。 $ j; w4 |5 S7 g! a1 Q$ ]% |3 d3 y. \, T! l
Never pretend to be something you're not. ) L8 S& R/ D6 c( [( s 6 k" ~& x: j j9 N2 `; ?7 N- E永遠不假裝。 8 _' B% ?0 T* Z$ H* @$ W. z4 z$ k2 ~, _
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. 9 _3 `; b, ]5 z9 f5 ^8 G3 s- X% L- b5 m
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 l: t2 y* T) O, M; [& D, n % ? J3 [, E' p; ]$ bRead 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 7 L, E( K# e6 P2 q" n E