% \3 i* r- S8 A. @ Q7 I) A! {; `Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.7 |7 c. H% c# o" [
B. y# M3 b3 K2 h* w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。 ( P( y5 r' d% P/ t; T6 O! g; W! ?5 E8 D* f8 y4 O# g" J' {
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. * t: t" G3 {" L+ h9 k# K- N' [ + m' U/ L9 c. J$ x( A9 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。 1 a& U1 |7 I) C- S z ; E' \* }' N R8 C2 B" P" W) NI 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.3 I1 V# q7 q5 H) o' N" X: u' u
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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。: f- z( i0 x) c+ t% H a
" S; i- d% A% ~% v1 rAs 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. 8 n! F' d* k* ^, u1 w0 |5 }. u+ l" l
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。* }- O* d8 J6 F. g2 n5 E2 A
) [& v9 z2 W8 J$ R" M7 b4 F, \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. 1 f1 D4 t4 S3 i) B& c' g( j. @4 Y5 u9 d+ O; s) c" r1 L
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。 - T# ^ y" C& s p! J1 z1 {2 ?! e$ X( \+ A7 N+ B! `8 S7 b
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. 3 k" h7 _0 X( g8 l% `' G4 P+ g n) |: | R# y2 l% `
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。+ x4 R# v# A" J1 l6 R/ J+ ]6 K
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Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."1 R/ E" W$ I* ^2 K* ~0 u
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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。」. ~" f5 y, ^: S) ]( x0 k/ t
3 z" ?- ?/ G6 ^4 ?( x% uStartled, 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?"3 {2 _) h. R3 i9 C# g9 K
& @0 d( k! g; E: t6 R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？」 9 u; D# r4 K- N% B# C 0 L: B/ i# J0 o( n' xThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)* W" {: G" E% T# r
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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) ; i* j1 u) I i3 n/ j/ F8 `2 |+ c3 E/ F* w
詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死2 D' |% E3 p( H) I' G/ c, M4 G* P
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2.transition：過渡，轉變 5 a/ U! I7 ]; H8 e: Y& I9 B 2 Z8 t( R$ C2 v! ]8 l' o3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出7 I/ T l3 n$ D5 T6 G/ D1 C
# R( V3 E0 s! ]- `●狗老師的啟示…% p1 \9 W# w T& n5 @- o. e* {. ~% R, T
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: - w6 E) L2 k+ Q8 ?6 `3 r7 A1 c4 E* ?% u/ l* F: j
記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： $ h1 D) x0 V3 D8 S5 { . Y* }/ a2 M+ ]7 [" fWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.) a8 e5 a# g5 y( e; q
8 G5 B' W! I' e5 d% a, y當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 * ^* o; @5 u& o: a/ t7 X3 _1 R8 G3 K 9 ?) J; X, O) S6 h' `+ A) }" \Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.$ s/ V/ }$ w' R, g6 \; {9 `% E
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永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。1 S( t7 g# E3 T' n4 r9 `, N
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Thrive on attention and let people touch you. 4 z U" q$ Y/ _, }+ \3 I: Z! X" }0 _+ } S& I4 I
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。 % Q4 z9 Q4 f k 2 } K& c% @$ r5 EWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. * y( `' q% J' v" \. u" I: t' x$ E6 h) m* N' L9 b
高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。 " h. V0 {" V$ h6 C- r6 X* r8 _
Be loyal. G ~8 E1 o+ D. n( c8 V. u- A7 d: V5 j6 }
忠誠。* s" c: f' F1 x7 w8 B3 D
& Y: B' a- q" y( Z+ i5 _" b0 q4 |Never pretend to be something you're not.7 J! m! P1 G/ {3 t' b
% c5 i- i8 L ]3 w* l: W永遠不假裝。: B, r3 o9 [% t8 U( w! u5 j, Y5 x; B
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When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. / L4 H4 Z0 `. g / N7 t& U b( H, l7 l0 i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。 3 {0 M* h* }2 }1 N& R 9 o7 d y- I( i5 {) |) CRead 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 * a; G i* E% x