狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
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4 F# V1 Z+ [! c+ d8 K. S7 j( H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。

; s( a7 M5 m; j5 K5 mThe 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。
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' j4 U9 i. q3 u5 Z, e. t' V3 S" SI 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.
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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。
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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.
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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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( Q9 p% K+ l. o: O  lThe 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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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。
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& P7 |9 f+ r( n/ UThe 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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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。

( d' u1 P! C" ^3 E9 O2 x# {2 RShane, 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。」
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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?"

! C+ n" d! U0 G  ?5 j( D4 ~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？」

8 r: D3 }' `; a& PThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

7 X1 L5 d7 _' |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)

2 \1 y8 H. V5 n6 I  G' y詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

. A' r7 i# C% i5 `$ P2.transition：過渡，轉變
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1 n1 D- {  B3 ?" Q) e% |3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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/ q; M: k  S/ Q- a* T●狗老師的啟示…
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

6 n. S% e/ c# O8 V: Y! T0 w+ V! t$ [% L記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

% j# r5 F6 v) ~" ^5 Q當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
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" B) e( |$ }! k& S6 z0 CNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
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: P. H' L! I/ n3 L永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

( g. E- H/ o; V: P' C. QThrive on attention and let people touch you.
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隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

  @- f5 G+ b1 g: `* ZWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

" |- w; L7 q8 e9 @, T高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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Be loyal.

忠誠。

; P2 @! u: _1 h* B6 cNever pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。
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) g* [( n: e- D. Y, s1 nWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

* N/ g8 g) a3 D% N( ]8 J, u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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8 Y# z  W* W5 \3 ^0 }1 ?8 _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
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