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.
. d8 X: }/ q; L. m
% N" c4 R) M. O/ M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。

+ y  b% n( i# g7 [4 R1 |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.

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 B# R; C) h4 u! @  M0 {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.
0 V2 X  R2 g+ V' K/ p
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。
: B" ~9 q- I6 ?9 @8 {
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.

& \" |; W6 H3 ~3 T2 B' P8 U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。
6 G( ^, J# ?7 m' d( _( ]
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.

. |: M& j8 v. W' K& C4 O; q, V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。
$ ]- N% ~* w! t, o0 R. \
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。
3 H; F& f( W* n, m
  f* l$ @1 i5 R! f4 d7 h: b) QShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
+ d+ p) }1 E+ s7 c
" |6 Y$ n7 F* S1 A靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
' b$ z% Y' i1 [% \+ _
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?"
2 x# ~# o6 z- h% U% i
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？」
: k- `1 M& @! r& @" m
The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
7 Q; {2 U# j& _) D
: v4 `9 k$ z+ E; L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)
3 {, M/ p& Y0 Y% ]9 U% X
) z  E8 p$ r2 _6 i* c9 g  ^5 m詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
& d& R. x. x1 C1 o$ c& P
2.transition：過渡，轉變

3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
: W" P0 Q) ~' @. C- }7 |
●狗老師的啟示…

. d6 n* K& g5 N2 |* `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：

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

當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
- s2 q* {% K6 }5 n/ z
" {* H3 j6 _0 {( vNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
$ k- [! d' O4 h9 H9 q
永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
( {% E3 ^: u4 b
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

5 c6 b2 Y! U! R隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
3 T( b( g2 s- c" m* S$ [, r8 d0 G6 [2 h- w
9 |7 h3 |) T4 x  y% mWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

; M" F$ e# V( c# @) P, a4 L高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.

忠誠。

Never pretend to be something you're not.

! Z$ z: L( V1 c$ B' n. b永遠不假裝。
9 ~6 _4 i4 s- s4 v
3 k0 R1 G" S9 r" A$ iWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

: Q  ]; ?6 ]; r, `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。
$ q- B: \; J, |" p
Read 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