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.

% w9 k4 F6 i5 T3 m; u4 g) S1 t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。

7 ~  I( x" @( N8 v' k7 @. O: [: hThe 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.
8 _0 x( S; s2 u3 T
( a! t% m1 _3 k  w- u2 UBelker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。

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.
/ o5 z4 |- T* w4 _* u5 r) Z
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。

$ F" J# G# m+ ?4 UAs 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.

: y" }) b6 `- K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.
$ [- l- R  @9 ]% [  g2 g% _
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。

3 q2 _2 }2 B: |/ M( K5 {/ s0 N5 ]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.
0 _/ p' [6 E  l% j
, H. j1 q0 h! D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。

5 a; i$ M1 {5 Q9 D, ~( FShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

. I, S; r+ \# H1 x. E7 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。」

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?"
. p) r# r% x  M
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？」
( J  `% L% @4 r/ w
3 `' h( ?: j, E* \The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

, O4 a* V0 p, e( c2 u6 C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)
  Y$ _9 M' ~; t3 C! ^
! G& v4 v4 d1 W4 |& J& r+ y詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
. P* W$ P8 ^  E! z" v, g" R
2.transition：過渡，轉變
; C2 o/ C# k( M. {1 ?5 V# h
3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
! h7 c+ F7 _. i4 s4 O$ ^1 A7 g5 G
●狗老師的啟示…
' V$ k) W7 y! B8 K( L$ y
# Q! E7 B/ g1 h3 D4 N7 M) a: DRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
0 Z0 p, P0 Q% ~3 M' A& H" H
3 l0 B8 w! E& }' f6 e8 f& l. H- e記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
/ B# h' W; c. K0 E
4 a, d1 A  ]: W& V. eWhen 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。
- |& p* H/ s3 Z2 x6 b0 U
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
0 R! Q0 J9 M3 J# a# o+ f9 d
" j* a9 \9 j6 M$ s+ N4 T永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
8 r3 G# S( N8 `9 \; z
2 I2 Y' u! S8 B( l! TThrive on attention and let people touch you.
2 C" W3 I& {# J; W9 h4 e; L  \4 f
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
2 W2 v: @2 `; Z" }: e$ z
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

5 i8 S- n% A% f2 w高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
% Y" O1 O$ i# k6 ^4 R0 T
" F9 Z$ `/ i  k% |Be loyal.

忠誠。

Never pretend to be something you're not.

永遠不假裝。
! n( ]# L- P9 ^1 S2 f2 g
) Z6 }2 F! {2 M- fWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
3 m9 F! S" Y7 p* P" m
4 U* e/ a; Y  Z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。

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
7 s8 |6 {; a3 ?5 L2 H: c- n6 W/ u