狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

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。
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4 h' ^0 s- w9 R) {" yI 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。

' M8 r/ [; F0 F6 QAs 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.

! h. f0 C2 k# s% J0 B0 b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。

5 I: \% F! T3 D: z4 eThe 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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7 }6 H& d3 z" R5 B1 \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.

: p3 L' R3 r3 P! }8 G( p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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' F/ S* q; ^6 KShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
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. A/ C. A$ E* u9 k- ?: ~1 `* t( m4 r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?"
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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)
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8 ]8 q, M* o, C& ^6 r. q* x7 w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)

- L: s( D4 r9 s4 C2 o詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

2.transition：過渡，轉變
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3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

# t6 W3 g( p6 ~/ R8 t●狗老師的啟示…
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

4 @5 B0 ]- g* _+ a- H記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

* k! n9 E, i" e( N5 ]When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
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Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
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: l; A/ C* }& Y: N" U7 ?( Z永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
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# X5 P, z! r5 \: X/ n# d$ i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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0 `, P9 r/ O5 P1 k3 \  x3 Z高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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4 C# F% C/ s& u6 c, U( [Be loyal.
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8 y: C0 I# K/ v# n: L6 I, j- E8 l忠誠。

& v% S! Q9 |3 J1 q  @0 YNever pretend to be something you're not.
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( e. C! ]3 H" A  h永遠不假裝。

4 w/ e% i' U. c; w4 L4 o/ W3 qWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

. U3 W3 `6 }* {' `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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