狗狗天生知道如何愛

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

& p" O% f2 O0 L) c5 m5 ], ]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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( o. ~4 G% ]) w5 X# n0 C% WThe 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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1 J1 B, I+ R4 \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。

: ~' D! {. t5 cI 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。
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1 t- K, m0 u3 `% rAs 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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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.

/ B  o7 @0 [: ~4 _& X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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0 H4 ^; l" m6 l/ n, ^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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# l$ s. ]: B5 }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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- b- L) p$ [# y3 P% G0 MShane, 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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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?"

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？」

5 ^/ P9 l$ D8 U2 q' }+ RThe 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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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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" l" F) r- s' t0 I詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

* S4 B7 H1 o2 p- f+ |) k2.transition：過渡，轉變
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3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

$ ]8 o0 F+ ~+ G4 ~% @' K0 C& A●狗老師的啟示…
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  k6 P! r3 E0 r0 N$ P$ kRemember, 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：

! [+ H" b0 E2 N/ o: }4 ~/ K. ]! dWhen 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。

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
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9 ?( d6 t& O! _2 D2 c- J; p永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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8 Q1 B$ e$ t) BThrive on attention and let people touch you.

隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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) ~, }4 Y1 V' L+ |0 aWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

# q4 l! ?) D! m9 Y  p$ c高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

  Z! P  R& g9 ~9 |4 QBe loyal.
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* \( X: h/ |  b忠誠。

1 \  i3 P$ m5 D7 j5 iNever pretend to be something you're not.

永遠不假裝。

# j* V' |6 m( ^# e) L5 Q. EWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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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。

% A6 ^! \1 i; X9 V9 }/ IRead 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