狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

' i3 W6 J2 K  R" v1 GBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.

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。
, x$ k3 d: q* V; \- }! W
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.

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。

, }, @. V3 V4 _8 EI 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.

1 U4 z8 {( J0 Q( I8 a  c: Y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 x( O0 ~! }% T& H: G4 ZAs 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.

1 l8 [7 H' s& H; o. p% A2 z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。

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.

  J9 M# B3 e- ~5 ?  c; `  |! [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 C- n1 y0 G9 XThe 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.
& O3 ^. I; C# \7 _4 S% ~1 P: V
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。
1 }% j# E; s3 i% S% N! T' o2 D; j/ h
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
5 Z1 x. o( J6 P' i4 F" U' k
8 M2 M1 P6 s2 A6 \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？」

* P: d% Z; r: I: [The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

; L' o. G5 g# H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)
, x4 ^9 s' t3 t5 q1 M: H+ g# p
詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

2.transition：過渡，轉變
% O9 ~' T- |; F- O2 ]0 D, _$ X
3 R1 U6 S! b3 X- F+ ~+ V3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
1 T5 c/ \1 D, v# }, W9 ?
●狗老師的啟示…
/ D8 [2 o6 M, E( J1 B( P8 d
/ a" }/ Z+ C5 LRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
+ o9 H/ j) W0 }7 V& T
" w2 D, Y0 M7 ^" Y4 W" ]記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

9 O# @' d8 c0 j' c. a0 w: BWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
' T" z; c, }' H$ b7 j
# h( T4 U; x+ h; d6 |* N7 H當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
3 ^, y. \5 b' k* f" z  _
7 s7 |6 `$ y3 L: ]8 c7 x+ p! aThrive on attention and let people touch you.
1 H0 v5 [. h! l3 S
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
1 q( R! ]- g3 c3 T6 x$ R; ~
; y5 j2 X7 ?8 p9 v5 @) R- e高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
, f# u. N4 C  V5 K
8 s8 W; k! q: ?% \Be loyal.
) o% ?1 D4 K8 P% i: `* y
4 T+ P" H4 O; a忠誠。
: y; F1 ]1 Z9 X7 I
- M+ n4 O* U9 R% x, i9 p: YNever pretend to be something you're not.

永遠不假裝。
# K1 ?8 [1 x! S0 F8 y$ m
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
* B/ y6 c5 m$ h$ v( _
+ ~/ e- v+ T( z  r( c# T" z( y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。
4 i2 D0 w$ ?: @
& _. g9 ^2 h0 Y, Y" Q. B) @1 [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