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.

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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, S- e& K# n# Y) Z' LThe 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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+ j; J2 T4 R5 D; J  I* Q# X' [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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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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% K# {5 _$ ~9 \/ {3 B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.
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, B! K& V' O9 A& D+ X9 h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.

0 Q9 K+ K& G0 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。
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9 K8 s# C5 F! R! k8 l! y/ p. ^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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8 Q5 u9 r, D8 W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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& }" q4 U! u8 @% ]4 GShane, 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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$ j/ \& J7 T, u* K. B! U( `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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$ J6 j0 ]! O0 V; ?3 ^, ]1 Q1 ~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？」
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$ _8 s2 d- y% P9 i+ J2 MThe 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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4 q6 Q. Y4 y0 c( P7 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)
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詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
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2.transition：過渡，轉變

$ P# q4 k* s) r( I3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…
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( y% V2 X4 r: N; d0 g. t# `Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

5 H9 h& I6 y+ m' T$ T4 A記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

' P$ F7 D6 d9 ?7 R& O' BWhen 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。

. S. ~8 C% w# w1 W4 B. xNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

7 [, n3 k. y  z: \Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
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隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

- @, L( P5 D0 }When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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Be loyal.

忠誠。

& ^( R! I5 s) C# J4 H) Y* Y/ n, N4 qNever pretend to be something you're not.
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; h: R* r: K* r2 E( s9 c永遠不假裝。

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

9 B- E1 K- ^9 a- V' u1 n) H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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