狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

( x; d- o! B0 q- [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。
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5 i' A. L1 n7 B% t$ QThe 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.

6 M" @9 Y8 J  i! W, {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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# q7 t) ?" H: p3 w" ^7 H; MI 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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" O5 ~7 y) N8 [9 ?, ]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。

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.

$ c! n' f( T# C+ {3 u9 n9 h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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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.

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。

# V5 p: J) p3 \. ]& C3 y7 AShane, 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。」

6 S+ C9 R' F5 m1 eStartled, 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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3 B6 k; d6 K0 e$ y7 a- b0 O$ r. {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)

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)

1 N4 p4 A- w, Q1 _0 Q, M0 E詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

2.transition：過渡，轉變
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0 }) L9 J$ x1 N0 V5 m8 t0 P' v3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

# Z7 ^9 O. _# r●狗老師的啟示…

, N. R* L9 C' I% ]& eRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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( i% p5 C4 s% ]& cWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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! u, R; \" d! I$ g- w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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' ~$ E5 {" O9 }# L; `永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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& d0 {5 t' C6 I( cThrive on attention and let people touch you.

/ X! @6 H* ?( {/ a1 m" l0 g隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

% b! k) _! N- N5 W, G0 NWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

1 M1 g, }+ }9 {1 t2 x高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.
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5 r3 N) n' a/ n忠誠。

* S+ p; A2 ?% D$ @Never pretend to be something you're not.

  R7 j( _: v% F* B( S1 y永遠不假裝。

6 R+ [9 T8 P& {. ]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。

4 `6 R. v2 G% Z5 n. t% S  m( Y, zRead 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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