狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch

8 ?* t% S  O& R. Q& M& k9 E: E) zBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
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- u, E) J% `; z& {) F1 s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。
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0 z. y9 y- B8 A/ K& ^1 HThe 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.
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% w7 _; Q+ }! w# {, E" l& ?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。
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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.

8 k3 M5 z# m& o5 W: k1 ]" R$ w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。

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.

5 p2 n- c$ Q. M4 k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。
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* J/ M+ k& r5 O% w' ZThe 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.
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3 }/ n# V3 s4 G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。

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.
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9 c5 s7 ], Z+ B. I2 u$ z8 \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。

8 S1 t" E( G. ~) z5 gShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

" v& H) |6 Z9 p) F' u" T靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
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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?"

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？」

The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

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)

0 c% P% w, A! D5 f1 W& o* [0 m0 e詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
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4 {9 j$ _/ x8 U3 G0 U8 k0 \2.transition：過渡，轉變
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3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

" ?) C  `* S) d  l; e5 [●狗老師的啟示…
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- H4 A4 p# U1 {2 T2 JRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

9 _. M  i; n/ D1 d( |" e* J, w記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

2 `8 j. y' j" L5 ]/ x( H2 d( i6 YNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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- @" ]$ ?' l5 K9 v3 lThrive on attention and let people touch you.
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3 }) m/ L$ Z2 m) V" o/ r隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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! a. z" z: p  b* y+ o& _! ZWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

; ?' S% I- _1 V' U$ x% B9 ^高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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Be loyal.

* ^- E8 X7 i' @* E忠誠。

2 d% Z: }5 r' x3 t6 b7 sNever pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。

3 F; D- g; @- \/ k, QWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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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。
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