狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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5 Q$ r/ c) O4 GBeing 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。

' H; l( @3 k! b2 ?+ V9 E# U! ZThe 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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, k0 T3 |' n* {4 ?# k% \# S% B2 LBelker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。

. N5 `) t' o# e9 l% F# Z0 JI 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.

( N; w: v% K& c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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0 M" B( T/ |! e* }+ A* A$ |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.

* e9 _( p& F, V6 T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.
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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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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."
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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。」

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?"

9 C) a) s5 J, J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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The 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* F8 P, Y# r& c. d0 N. s' C1 p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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! ~9 ~0 a# x+ j/ k4 x) Y, T2.transition：過渡，轉變

+ R' e- c! c6 j  k  {2 h- }: p$ c3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…

/ f4 f" c; C: k) f; y* g: I8 qRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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' N: b1 E* x5 f, U5 a, ?2 E- HWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

: V2 l5 S2 Q$ c9 gNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

2 P) a2 e. I* c, J永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

9 t' f. ]( i' N4 r8 L8 |Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

+ S) J% v4 v; s) i. m* g隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

When 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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" k+ i$ t! n, x( J9 M. G( XBe loyal.

忠誠。

! n* z5 ~, A/ BNever pretend to be something you're not.

' \- n/ c! I( Q+ Q永遠不假裝。
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- j, D3 S7 X( \When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

4 J& g" a" _* G# J4 W) a! ~! q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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9 V7 R# \5 b( y, fRead 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
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