狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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5 U) `  _$ a" dBeing 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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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.

5 f7 D/ {3 Y! S: n7 r: G9 \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。
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* ^, {5 ?  A& y/ W: [/ 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.

/ w9 H' N! l) P% U) d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。

; _7 p' [. f2 j1 C% I+ 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.
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( q1 V1 T; s& o' U  w6 c6 P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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+ M7 ]/ m; Q1 p* J, \6 XThe 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.

: g& r4 N+ ]7 L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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6 B/ h' v0 D1 E5 N/ {4 D1 ]: sThe 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.

0 v7 s0 P9 m  d: F! m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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Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
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7 M/ h. T/ o  E$ c' c: x靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」

9 w- f, v, o, }" }' C: xStartled, 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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! N- D1 g) v$ J$ @, y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？」

: h' B5 e8 [8 @( M) t/ y$ fThe 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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1 X' ?) g; v6 `3 z* F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
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% d9 r0 I3 o( j) z2.transition：過渡，轉變
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3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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●狗老師的啟示…
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

  [" L& s6 q/ C+ z' B3 L2 w0 o記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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  h+ x9 u+ l# ?# c9 j當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

8 b+ F0 W) V" y# W, VNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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4 O. U1 y) F: O# A( ]Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

, R% v9 G* Q" N8 N1 jWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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* u% m3 K: p1 ?3 a% l* d! PBe loyal.
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3 |" k! ]0 h+ ?% [% J$ R5 u& P" w1 k忠誠。

Never pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。

9 M- ?9 \. K7 H( M# w8 z3 QWhen 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。

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