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.

: V5 f( H" I# e1 h5 C  B( h- O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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2 Z# k, H! N! j6 q, g$ E7 MThe 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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* W: g% y& p6 @) |5 z! i. ?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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& @) l( x3 d) p8 L5 g% y8 FI 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.

7 i9 n& {8 E$ E2 u" ]1 a' Q6 y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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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.

9 `3 @3 Q3 b/ S& R* z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.
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0 \1 w7 M, |' Z6 S! f# `& U( b/ l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。

" s$ Q0 q! P2 dThe 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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  M6 P+ H* K- l2 ?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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- Q% E3 I! _& g0 y1 jShane, 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。」

* X' B$ n9 P! S! c- x8 Q1 J' f; o  DStartled, 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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8 I/ X: W; B4 c" D" 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？」

  U: }! O/ f3 h7 ^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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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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3 n* i! @+ S  C5 \# X2 K9 s2.transition：過渡，轉變

: e  Q! k: Y# m' Y8 h( M' c' C3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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●狗老師的啟示…

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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0 B  F9 k* C" A  ?5 [5 J) w7 c0 ?記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

! ^1 e' l+ }- ~% g) m/ B$ c1 C1 tWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

) M8 }+ h& T# Z$ J當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

8 q: g, l( g' l$ A- v" g# |永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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6 i( j. |: Z' fThrive on attention and let people touch you.

隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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  G& K- a" V  R0 u3 I/ F3 QWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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* R: c9 H* {: v2 I) [' H高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.
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忠誠。
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* `/ p$ C" i2 uNever 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.
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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。

+ m# X$ G" e3 s" P# nRead 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