狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

% z; Z  r: X. x0 ~4 JBeing 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。
8 ]/ _# Z; O- H! o/ \5 k! u
( t. Y- g# H- C/ m1 X2 \1 fThe 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.
' |/ d. b5 k6 h7 U/ n
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。
4 l% i) W* ]; x" N: b% m# z# B
' ~- }# t$ E4 U; ~% C2 sI 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.
. P9 b/ P; ?  X$ g* B$ k
7 f- Y) t7 K* A" X* \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。

6 p1 S/ c/ Y) d1 S  X# YAs 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.
4 R) j. e$ ?+ ?/ N& q( ]
# {, h! y9 t, T5 ~! Z0 W7 B' L: U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。
$ E* n$ a5 J' p; k! c
% V1 H- C4 }( W+ IThe 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.
" d; Y8 r9 k3 f9 P/ O
" [, ?4 C! u0 ~) C4 f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。

& ~" k6 O  K: F& z1 [. r3 I: v; U, uThe 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.

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。
% L. [# ?! c) H
( L! a4 R/ M3 @/ k0 sShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
7 R/ s) Y1 J* K# |, G5 ^
靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」

  p+ G: h& c8 Q3 IStartled, 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?"

* U0 g3 T* B4 E5 j" P( x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？」

) Q+ I/ v3 Q5 a8 j& n$ A, L6 b! L# EThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

+ u+ A& Y) d, l- K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)
* D6 `: g, G6 v, f
& T5 \; _. G# h/ d# O6 C詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
( ]6 b3 G' G& R3 z3 E7 m& o1 F' e9 Q/ _
2.transition：過渡，轉變
6 ?' \2 w. G( v8 @' u
& \9 {0 [: }& h0 h3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

& c, O. O( m. l5 g+ z/ l●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：
/ W  {) y8 S* Q1 V
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
$ B& B2 P! Z, s* R8 ^9 \/ b
當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
- A: m! x% ^+ F; }8 C9 {# d
) J9 _) i( c$ y/ MNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
2 j/ |9 @0 P( _; V
# q" g1 U0 d0 ^  K+ [Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
- g" E0 g) r( A1 M
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

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

8 m/ H  j' e- }0 ^& ?6 J) B高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

9 }5 F0 H) G3 o4 v/ UBe loyal.

1 z% w2 g! Z7 @- ?忠誠。
- q& S( c' w$ y; q/ O5 f2 k9 E- Q/ L
Never pretend to be something you're not.
9 f, O1 j0 |& W: w* b9 O' d1 |) Y3 j
; T: p3 @, g$ X% K% ]3 }永遠不假裝。

$ t  T! W6 i% Y4 i$ n' ~When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

1 `3 s0 J  w5 Y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。
% o; x% Z' D3 t9 u- I
3 g7 E- _* A9 F2 KRead 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