狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

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

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
" G9 U; q1 n) Q8 c* F; p4 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。

The 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.
2 r0 X  w( D2 ^
/ I8 F& ~; n' _4 D% N* W/ |. A2 oBelker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.

* x3 p' f+ L' d: T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。
% T! p7 X3 M3 P* o7 d
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.
! `, _, k% e$ E3 L7 D
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。

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.
- }* g5 W+ _; m$ Z( R; |1 |
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。

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.
8 {# M. w+ V0 Z3 g1 F0 W/ K
+ V5 u1 k; ?! i1 Z8 i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。
* y# g0 H7 C0 R4 a  F  B& Y8 \
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
7 ^: v0 a$ x# h
- t; I/ g+ s* K" i2 P9 F靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
3 C  Q7 `9 U2 `3 Y
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?"
2 m% s. ?$ Z# w) M. `, M) b8 p
' ~) ]5 |3 D; W( z( V4 ]" k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？」
1 W% U8 z  n5 C% t- j
The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)

5 ~) N% n! S* ?4 z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)
2 @+ S) ^1 k4 |& l$ x+ ?: b7 b
( E  a2 K6 v4 ~% U% K詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

2.transition：過渡，轉變
5 I" e" m( d! C8 N7 D, K6 q( g; j
3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…

$ y' W8 k. o; o1 B; GRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

$ l! p; r0 d6 ~) D- ]! @4 g記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
5 j1 ?3 {% M% {( Q6 z4 }6 w% e
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

4 S0 e) _3 t# M: y0 P) ~4 h當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

7 E; d# \1 E( O, R( ?Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
4 {  c3 |- x2 J3 Z
' l& W% z4 q! ]/ Q/ r) \' @) \/ T永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
5 X9 p6 L. b$ h# z8 W$ Z
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
( E$ [' z5 R4 f
! y# C* j# B; H& e, b6 m" I1 q隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

5 v# a! r3 f* b2 s; R- [When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

" A. [( z6 }$ ]1 b+ E高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

7 ]( I- v2 I  HBe loyal.

, t1 z4 U6 T. ?忠誠。
7 ~8 Q; [8 y1 s0 [. h
Never pretend to be something you're not.
, H; Y+ q$ C8 S+ \
永遠不假裝。

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

* P& j9 I8 P( g4 o' J* E6 A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
# m& M5 y; L; p' b/ `