狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

# S2 K" U+ h: l: t# ]' h% s; V& gBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
% y) Z2 F( S/ k, b- t
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。
" I/ @! Y4 ~+ }/ o* S/ l2 k
% R$ h/ w" r$ v; l7 q) l7 VThe 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.

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。
" `* i$ r7 }9 `
, M. M; w: B( u2 \) L, pI 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.
7 L5 C' I4 A1 [4 p
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。
! R9 F8 v* E7 J& 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.

2 g# N5 |, \" D- k; Q% c: W7 w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。
" s7 E# y3 L; G$ D
$ D3 r  r* g( m  k: QThe 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。
" F5 o+ B" j! D' n4 T
0 q7 x0 p6 Z) V# f# F$ _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.

1 Y8 K; o/ B, t1 J4 E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。
# S% l0 d, f7 {' t  c
! _/ \$ T% }9 MShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
8 w) J/ f$ X! x6 K1 C" f! b7 d4 H
靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」

0 o# K& W# _6 a, tStartled, 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?"
- C+ l  f4 N& J" _" X6 H, w
% C' G  Z' x7 x- v$ t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？」

- h1 q) ^& q( D' Q4 K: d8 ^The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
* k7 x$ N. j$ }* B) e' N4 A
+ k% l9 M$ E# P9 i: ]+ S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

0 u. G( H! u# R# w/ X# u2.transition：過渡，轉變
8 P+ z8 ?1 ^: {# u( ]
; q: F: _3 |0 u4 [& D3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…
% y4 ^5 C, A- f  u
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

$ c3 l! r2 _, }) |, o& I記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

' s) k8 w, b$ ^) T% qWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

$ D) E) N+ n& L7 z; A0 B2 Y1 U: P7 `當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
: F$ d- g, Z5 l5 i# W  K  D; j. q
5 Q8 z- K% O; l" ANever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
. o( N$ J1 I  [/ L
永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
2 z9 [# X; l( I+ D
2 C% `1 O  R  ^5 C8 [隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
/ Z$ _3 Z$ u, s) [, H9 a4 l# E
$ t  Z" Z1 ^8 [6 eWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.

2 {: D% m3 A4 v( y忠誠。
" M% Q; J4 i6 y% W6 U9 h+ |
Never pretend to be something you're not.

$ v; @2 t: R! F永遠不假裝。

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

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。
1 T% d& H; J9 G8 [5 g/ z( Z# Z5 V5 D
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