- y6 U4 Y: r/ X- PBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.5 u; y3 H( \! e
. D# K( }0 H% t: G1 a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" s8 v* @7 g$ G7 X# u' E3 B8 k! t# s
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., Q( v; o! n( G9 V1 M& ?
- u! z, l( U& wBelker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。3 \4 x) d% {0 U8 D( x5 R( _
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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. % E8 ]; C2 l6 L4 k: n4 x3 \0 u6 f2 G. {3 w* @# V0 \
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。 2 A+ f& U2 ^# S! C. B ' p& d- u# x+ S4 L2 j0 l5 PAs 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. ; y- h+ @& K2 @6 Z+ g7 V1 Q% {/ [" J% F( 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。 # ^% ?3 O# [8 g, p$ L6 t% I! ~ X, R* h# E
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.) g' e! f& c2 v* v1 K
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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。 9 U! b9 L p& H8 ~# N " G0 ^0 Z( I( V- C. h8 @; C4 GThe 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. ; R% H: q% z* [4 [8 s( D9 b. z) j9 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。 $ I( f4 J- \+ v3 k7 V$ f9 y, ?$ [) B9 z
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." ' q) k E3 N8 v+ Z! U . F8 u8 v) b8 |: U9 s靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」 Q7 W* d9 {+ m+ }+ c* d2 e/ F- e9 H2 x5 S! E8 c2 F
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?" a# s1 G+ s( E
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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？」+ \. L {1 \7 r
& ]- d- }0 ?9 K6 e" bThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com) ; Y: r8 W4 G/ j$ q5 B; r& u, N+ L9 D( `; ?& r! f) ^6 }" K
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); ^" V: ~7 ^/ c8 T2 J+ }
9 s0 P* w$ M ~詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死- k# G& J0 D9 C9 m& A: g
( w# H. y/ T: I: Y1 ~) l GRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:& T) {) G: v" w0 b1 A8 A
: a" m' j5 S; g. n記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： ( E' }: ?, Q# g/ R3 e) E. W0 _8 @9 J: _0 r& a5 k- M
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. 8 c( s- v& @5 l% n5 f& r $ Q8 `- B/ ~: e+ W* V, R當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 : W- O; V2 @; B S( s* j, u% @, z: {
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride., A+ a1 c( |( i( A! l7 V
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永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。 2 B0 n' l' n2 Z1 N : X: z. L7 n/ }: [) U6 ?1 X/ rThrive on attention and let people touch you./ A: a3 l( o- h% C }1 R4 V
N5 |, o& _ u4 Z/ E8 D隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。1 G+ S+ i$ F8 W* u T1 {+ t s+ O, q) U
- x3 j# Z( c5 ~# pWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. 1 `* R, b- @. ?3 G" X * S/ t, K+ ?& x% ]+ C3 W' u高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。 , E7 B+ h6 }# g9 r" M1 y }) ? J( @1 p/ K4 w( w# c
Be loyal. 8 e2 d. c2 Y6 ? 5 O! ]' V5 @( I. I& F5 d7 n3 D忠誠。8 }: |; L- x2 N( o
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Never pretend to be something you're not. ' b5 J) w- }, y# H8 C1 p3 z 0 D+ ^8 o1 m8 Q7 ?永遠不假裝。 * g) E3 ~: C- p9 [4 ? % E* s0 Z/ l! b2 S+ \* lWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. 4 [& I7 T4 O6 U; z9 X ( z+ a) s9 B- V0 R' z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。 & K8 E& v- h7 r. v# z5 w* t! {, f5 f6 f' U
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) k( G+ s( T6 ]. g* f