狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

$ M' t( u* v% mBeing 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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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.
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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。

6 I5 i! h( r. \4 l* [6 bI 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.

2 ?6 v& B) V4 ?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 W. U" C/ V! x; y1 E& d8 N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。

' n# Z4 l1 _' j* k7 P+ P: d4 y8 p8 ^0 WThe 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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; O1 F2 J4 a( F: i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.

: t: f, i! t2 n, {2 v. c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。

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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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)

( M1 n, G2 X* s2 ?3 z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)

% ^! |0 @' h; K- y2 O; n詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

$ F9 j  D0 ?1 ?) Z0 M2.transition：過渡，轉變

  O. k3 h0 y3 A# E3 r; X3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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3 E0 M8 _0 b% T1 F1 X8 O●狗老師的啟示…

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

; g! k3 e* G" S# j5 k) [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.

" \7 h/ I$ a8 ^  B* F; K( y) H/ F& S永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

  K# A; x, ^. A' P) vThrive on attention and let people touch you.
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  Z% Z) ]( {6 l& E隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

& W: x% ]6 q. @5 gWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

$ K/ _, `# P5 D' I高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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) J; z0 O' D/ m. u. h' G! `Be loyal.
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忠誠。

; r* C8 n* }. e% O1 F  LNever pretend to be something you're not.

永遠不假裝。

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。

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