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.
: A7 V! X! @; x7 ~) k( E$ B. T
3 i  r3 d1 m4 P8 c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。

3 Q& W1 w& H% _* P" OThe 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.
3 W' |# [9 y5 p% s9 k8 S' s
7 }8 }( ?& D5 h* R$ OBelker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。
! E6 E1 j# z& `2 J! e
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.

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。
' I% c$ s( `4 l5 X( ?6 M2 h
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.
( v1 E) Q2 A- p5 t# y
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。
  N  H) b2 A: y" b; R$ M
2 c7 D+ T( x( C* |+ @! W) c' k. D4 CThe 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.
$ |3 D& T  O6 l. X+ b
  P4 Q, ^8 `' X; w5 |; f1 I! 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。

3 G9 A9 Q7 |) p/ v6 O. O" \4 HThe 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.

6 @: s% N) v/ c; J+ o$ \* [5 z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."
- k/ ]2 C+ H5 z7 u
6 t+ ]; y5 P( [9 ?( G靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」

) Y) P2 L% R9 ?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?"

# d! U) V; X6 y  ^; O/ Q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？」
( H& Y& x2 N4 m1 q: L1 h
+ y% V4 ~1 @9 G" ?8 @; \The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
, }) N9 B" T: b* v: i% s. i' E2 [
/ X# M( L4 s/ s8 q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)
  A  M7 {4 t* f. C8 H' B; I# U3 }
詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
8 r2 \0 ?# v; `0 j5 H( O* K
2.transition：過渡，轉變

9 c# k' G* v' {% G( y" l3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

- k+ h, M$ D1 x  j% n. z/ d4 Y●狗老師的啟示…

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：

( S, t# |/ e. c" r+ g3 eWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

, p, r) ~+ \; ^/ K0 }當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

' x) Y4 w) B$ x! SNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
4 W7 I* y$ e7 a. K7 u
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

5 c9 ^9 e6 Q4 \: w高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
; I' o) {& p* l$ Y
7 J. d' g' i+ r6 `  V: G0 `/ S) k! H! K* mBe loyal.

8 X2 d4 z# _5 D( y忠誠。
- ~6 v, a. Q& W% a
3 N( M4 `% G3 {' RNever pretend to be something you're not.

" e! z( z- I8 s# s  I永遠不假裝。
3 j3 f$ r5 J7 B9 h' w/ Y% m
, p) ]7 \: B% l' ^1 uWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
( }/ d: ?" X* l, d/ ~/ u" b0 d
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。
# X) F2 G+ W4 Y
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