- J/ ], f0 @- u$ D% |Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.9 G3 r, G9 O" B" D
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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。& }' `- Y) V: U# {
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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.) T9 p2 ]$ z- [ l+ T3 G( S
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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。) U" F5 W5 X6 T* F3 Q) Z6 e
. @% h2 c3 y) l# W2 z3 RI 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. 2 P4 U6 _1 K7 c# l$ y4 K h; R : f4 G2 B2 ^9 B3 K, J v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。 " u$ z* u) a+ z# O f7 ^* N: [+ i+ J5 N
As 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.: e( g' F/ P1 }7 {3 U
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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。 9 g+ ^; f, g1 W& ]% r# L' }( W& j- W! g3 O' Q7 ^
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.2 g1 e7 I9 }0 D1 [8 @. v( c5 M
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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。! e1 [6 n3 [3 f% W. o) W
# r1 Y+ M/ x. }, _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.% k* R4 S# o4 A* _, w3 Q9 ~8 a
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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。' u) A! l! ]- ?+ z
% x4 U" j$ |* J7 U1 Z @4 A7 m6 GShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." # U7 f, Y; X) L& I& ~ 3 Q( t( |: r% ?3 J, }+ K. I5 F靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」 3 A9 J) M, w* k4 q- L7 T 8 u! O! N4 |/ ]0 ]' o- F/ qStartled, 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?"7 n, e8 n$ b5 _ J/ A8 V5 X w
, C. ?% L3 j' ]; {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？」# [3 q8 K6 U4 w
7 P& O4 x. f5 f. r9 TThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com); G* F" n$ q, H Q$ T
x% d" A' I# k, Y: I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) ( T4 E% s5 Z1 c0 m5 S# P; n8 s1 s9 X' o
詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死 + h, E/ i9 \, k / w, u; i3 O8 B! B, A# E0 j2.transition：過渡，轉變 , n# n/ b# k# R4 Z& F$ _! D/ | + ^$ Y' A! r* j9 F0 e7 w& M% N3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出 8 `# Y: _: D2 i4 G) M6 W# \$ b+ R# F9 H& Z! i& Z
●狗老師的啟示… 2 K' g. ~) l* w' }; q; G% Z8 C) b0 I5 o
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:) \; a6 A5 G0 O/ [5 c2 q) K4 h
) o# P/ |5 d a6 ]. @8 f! ^When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. 1 B9 z3 `' P$ L; r& j, O+ o 9 ?, Q1 Z5 C6 o5 T$ e當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 c3 ~8 e6 w) V
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Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. # K- Y1 m5 W6 H6 b 0 ?2 B( z+ U1 G4 W c永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。: R% K$ W: v/ T, W! X1 w
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Thrive on attention and let people touch you. y- l# x# I2 ^ # L- r1 d+ l+ |5 N隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。* I* d1 M) ?" A: s$ v
# t: k- ^) z2 }6 p; N: xWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.( Y/ \ o1 k/ P
( y- W! r Y4 [, t: P& O高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。2 L- Y+ G8 I+ L) h) E+ D
. b9 B3 X' j' m5 E" m. d" LBe loyal. + p0 _. ?' ^) b8 f5 C( F 3 C- l. [4 g& ~( H7 e! E0 m- ]9 d+ R忠誠。 , u$ }/ u8 _" Q. V, w/ e; g$ C3 E2 d0 f# \. F* m
Never pretend to be something you're not. 7 j0 h" a0 Z) J+ w 4 ?2 l% z7 }. O9 \, A; B; L J永遠不假裝。3 `. i% I1 z" h9 ]
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When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.( o+ l" o: C3 z6 L! {2 d8 n3 ^
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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。 ) D' N/ O' B' Q9 ]' T9 B. B; d ' k6 C$ e9 l( n" GRead 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 . }3 B* ~0 ?6 }