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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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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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.

1 {7 \# G- d; j: s+ {0 B& oBelker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。

7 V. s$ T% {* P: n2 e. GI 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.

. h& `2 y7 m$ f1 A" B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.
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  r! A& a2 }+ N$ t' S! [% J7 [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.

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.
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, t: R: w4 f# y6 ?' R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。

' }% _7 i+ s' B. `  k' q% t/ {Shane, 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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) V) m) m+ S4 J! N9 Q2 s3 M: P8 cStartled, 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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4 [, _  Y, x# t6 ]  W6 y/ J: 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？」
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, F! w, N7 U6 h! u/ t2 h4 UThe 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)
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0 z4 E  S, F2 ]詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

2.transition：過渡，轉變

9 i" [# l9 |7 W& V3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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1 W$ u# t: I8 u! d5 k. j* o0 e8 q! S●狗老師的啟示…
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Remember, 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：

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

. R# F, R6 S; H& k當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

) z% s9 H8 ^5 i* o, ]0 s  NNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

, ]$ D$ t! v( |8 Q1 B7 f4 h3 u; i隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

8 Y3 j9 y0 f* T; z; TWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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0 }/ K, C# y4 s5 B) a/ k- K高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

# n7 n: E2 C/ W9 jBe loyal.

9 Q, d5 z3 {8 ~- c) n$ o忠誠。
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( G# D5 e+ M! r! v& x( Q0 a" ~Never pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。

& @1 B$ r9 x: [  L4 D/ QWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

$ H3 j  Y- X% S* a% `/ j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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