狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
7 @+ Z7 Y8 M. T2 z, i
8 Q9 Y& o5 ]/ v5 B. n8 dBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
! Z6 q7 h7 {, q% _! y6 q
( @" X5 T. o# ]6 a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。
1 ]9 G! j% U' N" |# R7 f6 _
+ Z( K. @) m- I, bThe 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。
4 x$ K8 Q1 y" t4 U' P$ [8 g
9 e9 A  p1 K: N$ _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.
9 q+ Q. O, y. S2 ~8 O& X7 ^# r
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。
9 A' q4 }! w& X; F$ R
: r, ^: N$ u/ g/ R+ A/ }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.
' {4 v% ]  N- `/ ?# ~- x
5 ~+ A  {% [) g4 k& Q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。
0 k! k/ O- [+ F* L! K' I- g
; E5 ?8 V( ]2 O  X8 \5 V" SThe 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.

+ V% \& E6 @8 M( M4 w- l$ B8 P; Z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.

+ L! }$ A% R6 W, m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。

( J) t6 c3 ^; |% u" C' l' S* D# I$ NShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
  [1 e- Y% j. Y5 N! @
8 N$ G6 T. c; ~靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
; u! |1 e) s( _/ _" d% e
, g, B. U8 q# e5 _/ i! b! WStartled, 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?"

1 c9 P7 t" R, t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)
. I* ?& W! L* o# v9 P: o
, L) I1 v5 M+ W4 r1 R( ~2 z# u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)

詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
7 {' C6 ~+ o6 O4 y+ M' @5 L4 r
9 ~2 b4 _5 V6 e2.transition：過渡，轉變
* o- Q6 f: l( {5 [0 T* Z& v
3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
5 r+ [( _( ~% ]" I- |6 B' ^
●狗老師的啟示…
- L3 h1 e% r( R, x: X9 Q
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
) p' F: [/ ]4 C; J  s
6 ^: Z! t$ F1 {記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
, @5 U1 v1 b* w
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
. c2 d7 K  G, \0 T% i1 o+ _! u7 H9 V  c
當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

  T0 o- ]6 e& r  u! s+ V8 oNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
, N$ k! W2 N# ?; v
永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

6 Y% N3 m, B6 \3 |$ I$ n隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
% d* n4 i$ u! h7 Z
3 R% M6 h1 D& f+ Z3 @' I, t0 jWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

6 c6 _3 ], w- B3 W* g; \+ _* G/ IBe loyal.

* l! `0 V# J; \9 g" w忠誠。

Never pretend to be something you're not.
" H, M/ [3 g1 Z
# V' p% O& s* Q1 M5 ~0 h永遠不假裝。
- |3 b2 g1 ?& E7 B) u# O5 Q
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
/ r$ y! \. A, t* L2 p. X1 b
1 ~4 `4 Q4 u" i: k: w& [1 l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。
) o* I( E& D$ {5 Y4 i- d
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
; H- X' R6 f2 F& `' K! {