狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

9 ^3 |. h0 i+ a( OBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.

# X' e! u# o( y9 e$ v2 E2 p. v) R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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6 Q4 U0 P4 w3 r5 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.
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; a& Z6 i+ }3 p- g4 QBelker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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% S0 U2 `! @' g6 L! ^+ ~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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3 F: p2 ~( i& r. i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.

1 \9 A& y# o2 n/ S) \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.

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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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。
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: \6 P6 h( I0 W1 I/ v/ lShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

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?"
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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)

1 ?% |( N% ?; H$ r4 q" c: R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)

詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
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3 B7 V6 i8 L  l9 E& F8 F# V2.transition：過渡，轉變
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0 D5 `7 a' J2 m  L7 n3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

1 E! R0 U( z! ^* [/ t●狗老師的啟示…
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: O. d  a1 M. t8 ~Remember, 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：

8 E- w# ^0 X4 \7 m+ hWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

/ t) \2 z! p  ?. I4 O0 s. R8 }( f當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
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$ P7 O  x& U! |5 R0 t" gNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

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.

$ Y$ g! |8 W* Z4 C6 V, C隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

$ s5 R7 d. l4 w0 d  Z! G9 p( @8 [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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- b; \5 D6 T$ r0 [Be loyal.

- v; x- U2 D% K# d忠誠。

4 A5 c0 g& q5 x3 t& A: N5 RNever pretend to be something you're not.
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+ T- A. b/ z1 s- M/ c永遠不假裝。
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8 x8 S+ t0 r  X' v2 w. c2 M( TWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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9 F( S; i8 Y1 z# P) ~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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