狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

7 L, E. ?. y0 W7 c% R1 I4 d- vBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.

' _3 w- }  T( E/ @) ?$ q$ q8 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。

# W. \7 P' C2 h) j1 C1 @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.

" L( m. }# l( U2 YBelker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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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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7 t' L! C" L7 l0 [2 z7 j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.

$ R) d" C4 w$ 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。

0 R# F7 [7 p. U) KThe 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。

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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4 Z+ i% t; K5 B, Y8 q4 S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。

' k& n/ X8 r# |8 d" C3 C; e/ XShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

+ p' n" P) b+ L5 l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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7 p3 W. I2 n8 V" M. {1 N9 F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？」

2 |8 O5 E7 J/ }  O% SThe 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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! A$ [% h" u$ f2 V  L7 J" }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)

6 d8 j! G0 g0 r9 _8 u3 b/ s, h詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

2 C' p4 I0 R# W$ I+ e* u( Q5 ~2.transition：過渡，轉變

# U# \; v' T5 h) H3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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, V  t  ?1 f" s( M7 J$ q●狗老師的啟示…
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4 R; Z9 o" E* GRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

; h* G& z0 p8 L/ W4 t5 z2 G記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

9 B6 E. {) y8 n: M# b! RWhen 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。
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, L; k' w, T+ h; K! I7 ~. W) hNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

! }# O9 Z/ }. s+ w4 J& @' _) [& e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.
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隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

3 F" [- r+ k; K# r) zWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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Be loyal.

忠誠。

$ L; \' Z% z  z7 [' HNever pretend to be something you're not.

! r6 ]+ h% w( L9 m! v  Y永遠不假裝。

# r( O% F7 q; U& {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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