狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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$ o& u4 j2 G+ `& P! NBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
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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 n" n1 Z4 O4 E% _( t) YThe 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.

8 Q" ?8 Z4 v( ^6 vBelker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 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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2 m/ P( k. j/ N4 sAs 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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+ j* a5 f, X; A* |3 g4 f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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' u! c# t7 S) P4 V) JThe 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.

: |# x0 Q3 U" [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.

% z! A- b/ J( C# W9 G2 K* \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。

" w3 X3 c: h8 t( J% @Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

: j! p, G- W" f. M- w9 _6 w* D  O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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: M( a9 e1 m9 _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)

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

2.transition：過渡，轉變

3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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●狗老師的啟示…

4 j4 r( o% q3 U( K% ?: P" iRemember, 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：

, Z* n! F; l$ ~When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
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. c; r) Z0 t2 ]9 Z0 p( d6 \& g9 ]Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
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3 S0 c& y. _$ J$ C" O" f永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
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3 [7 D& r# b  ~7 B; H5 r2 B. y6 O隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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3 e* j# ^# q1 n  C/ `高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

& D2 e4 [9 ^# o. w) N* k* iBe loyal.
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忠誠。

Never pretend to be something you're not.

+ i% d1 L: G) ^+ O永遠不假裝。

/ {( N# u  \, c' W1 sWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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5 }$ |9 }5 v& d/ o* z8 E) 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。

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
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