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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4 x2 D+ U7 G4 J  W( P, g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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! a- g5 ?  X8 _( K. W7 W4 AThe 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.
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4 c' G: c" C: d# I* S9 d% U+ bBelker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。

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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* Q% y" w( g. H% w  ?  Z" L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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" v7 D9 M- @% i4 z* o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。
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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.
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9 w. H1 B% H1 }9 b6 f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。

( X! S4 T2 K, ]: W) h4 mThe 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。
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Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
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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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. {) ^; Q5 Z( d1 {8 OStartled, 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？」

  V" w' k6 N! l/ C8 A' aThe 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)

詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
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2.transition：過渡，轉變

3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

, S, j# T/ Q+ m' O% J2 ?●狗老師的啟示…
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

5 d+ Y, Q6 h! H2 Z記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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9 _# K8 \) a$ Y/ P9 LWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

3 @8 s6 s! H2 A4 b當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

/ I6 }7 E' ^) Q: X. m1 GNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

% A. J. W! w9 |+ Y3 @4 m7 i8 yThrive on attention and let people touch you.
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隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

. C! ^. T( h6 _+ s( q( `: ?When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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& Z3 T9 B3 V% \* i8 c( Y7 L# B9 t高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

0 B1 `( f" d6 K/ d: T2 E+ F5 R! ^7 IBe loyal.
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8 I" w- t$ ]6 N- J忠誠。

/ m2 y' ]: @* _6 l; sNever pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。

2 [; o; J3 p9 q( P3 n/ q; x% BWhen 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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