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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' U* X. z- I2 Z+ |# m- {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, ]  |, {4 J% \4 NThe 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.

( a' [. v; s6 S0 u; K3 cBelker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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' ], N9 |+ q8 A" ?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.
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. a% l# R: O6 {+ _" d4 \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.

: m6 F! M& O$ {) A2 t  y) _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.

3 c6 K; r% N, {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。

, U9 U" H# ?1 R! _6 W/ VThe 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.

9 O, `0 K( w2 h. h5 r/ E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。
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) P* Y; w0 k7 l! K( kShane, 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。」

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?"
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7 f1 {, h! f4 B+ O( z6 b( u' Q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？」
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The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
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, m, N% Z  M0 }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)
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詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
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2.transition：過渡，轉變

5 @2 r/ \4 A2 w$ y6 F1 ?3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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+ v0 V! A; q+ ~* ?( m' S6 E●狗老師的啟示…
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- p$ T2 `& {  _3 [$ q3 BRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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& m- b& c' x3 O  O, C0 u' ^  e) i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: Z* N& b/ w當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

# Y4 H7 d* O: y4 j; f9 C$ yNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
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  Y; I+ l: s+ M# \! k永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

; ~. |* o( h5 K2 YThrive on attention and let people touch you.
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/ w  [; a/ |4 a隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.
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9 B2 W" _( |0 _  |( M忠誠。
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  j; s0 }# {+ HNever pretend to be something you're not.

永遠不假裝。
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When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

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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