( e: V, v$ q2 @3 ?Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. # R$ t$ B2 H& ~& ]- k' F2 N c. g. x% C2 D# S0 B. Y9 y$ j
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。 t. t) @6 s$ H, _( R& K/ ` _
( Q# x4 Y4 E: b7 C" o- QThe 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.7 n2 u1 \* I. D8 \
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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。& Z8 e+ g4 h0 f6 p& t4 x
1 K8 w: l; z$ _; W6 j; VI 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. + E2 U& y9 }; z6 E( s! @ 2 Z+ @2 s6 D: K9 C! W% ]9 J. e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。5 u8 c2 N: Y5 N$ s
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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. # S/ P7 Q) p+ p/ h0 K; @1 f$ Z0 z( W1 |& r. X: `3 H% ~4 n
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。 + \+ T( v; S3 T- _, n! b # s3 K/ o9 A) {3 g# Q( x* {8 TThe 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.! T& {4 f' c) a( e& A/ w A
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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。 # S# N, ^) Z. E2 F& Q0 S/ z7 R. g( d/ W( a
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. ( m" M7 g8 H3 B0 a) c9 V' _& M' O/ J" w, B" J5 e2 l; g- E! a
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。' C3 Z) H: X. k( z2 F
" i' R7 j" T! W/ u, @, `5 pShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." z# v( u: f* y: Y# k: \# O
3 x! p- [% G& Y8 P靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」; x# v6 Q0 y! K: C7 Q h( `/ ^8 n
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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?"- U' H; W7 G& }) x# }8 }
3 u8 K1 Q( J! W7 f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？」% y' a3 R3 T3 A# C' L; e
: T7 e+ ^' J' F q% M pThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com) : l7 m% J7 D7 l' D# F$ _6 Y2 V O+ `- @
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) 5 d% v. j' p# [: t* d8 D, Z" t) @ 9 G' D3 Q: z- z2 H. S詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死 " [# R' T0 ]. h- m) A+ `! c/ M. B* d% A' C) H) U* x
2.transition：過渡，轉變 $ \0 W& F7 |0 t& D2 q( G5 X2 T' S% [6 C& r, d) \) M# E6 ` T
3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出2 a4 k9 U+ I) z1 ~# M; p' w
& l3 A' n @( `; k+ [●狗老師的啟示… 3 H8 r, u8 v {; ^) n/ Q: G( \4 }1 v+ M8 {
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:# C4 q u8 c% Q2 V9 X' r
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記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： 4 j+ K& D6 y$ J3 ]! |# P8 k6 g0 m) O% W4 I: h6 w
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.% N) `: A3 `8 y3 }6 D( a
; q' m: s f5 w/ V! l: ^Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. " v" _: J% B; B5 T0 ~4 N 5 M! O. N, v0 H0 F1 R' ?永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。 5 ?: n D7 j( z/ s+ P * h7 V. a" C; { }5 jThrive on attention and let people touch you. , x* W; O! a; ~' `/ y8 m+ A6 g # |# F' A8 ]$ ?7 K隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。 ) P6 g! Q; F) K2 c* A0 t, ^2 x! e6 i; U2 a* Y" c; | p- A% _
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.4 s2 Y2 [" J6 Q. N& O
5 B- g8 {+ B _, ?; L2 s! R忠誠。/ q) p) m p) U* N1 C5 y6 R
+ C b6 h3 p8 F& d3 kNever pretend to be something you're not. 6 A( ^) m0 q+ |$ s1 u: L. W9 p' J# I Z+ C; c( E. r( h
永遠不假裝。 3 U; L( B% \( i$ A' y o8 c9 c 6 \' G1 r% Y/ H7 t$ A) t, YWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.% a" d/ w, r( x# \, R' }3 q/ e7 i! Q# w
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如果家裡有人不開心，保持沉默，坐到他身邊，溫柔地拱拱他、安慰他。1 F0 u1 @3 ?5 o+ u" m" W0 k
3 \) p- h' W; g5 T0 C% 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 4 X# d9 M4 u2 H8 e