狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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: A" F3 M# s; u3 T9 Q  O6 i% CBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
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/ n# w/ Y8 i. V. u. a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.

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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7 a+ F" q- I1 {2 f& v. HI 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.
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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。

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.

3 c1 k. t% O- n. O+ C2 H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。

5 K. o, V9 K: X  o& FThe 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.
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$ J, L# v$ m+ T8 h8 [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。

, q' b( W, E7 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.

; W2 D3 r3 m% h/ _7 f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。

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
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靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
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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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  y' P' }0 |+ H/ g8 n. B% R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)

6 `9 S0 f4 |1 i' E" `詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
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7 H/ Z' M; T, t8 @$ Z, B# l2.transition：過渡，轉變

% z! k  {9 Q/ d" M( b, t; O9 v* [3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

* i9 x7 @( |* G5 k/ e2 `●狗老師的啟示…

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

' t; _* R0 b9 s1 }( }0 p記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

+ d6 |: J# F+ l4 ^0 M! x) aWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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; t: v; X2 ?, s) i4 Z/ D當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
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Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

% k1 W& P  m3 {! ]& I- D永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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: b! C2 L7 A" wThrive on attention and let people touch you.
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. Z% k- ~0 y9 Q* @! l+ j隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

( l; r3 j+ q; S! G! ]3 g% i* JWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

+ ~9 r! D5 n( a/ R7 b5 F高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.

& @, X, g2 Q% n$ Q$ @忠誠。
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Never pretend to be something you're not.

6 M7 k$ C2 g2 @永遠不假裝。
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6 g+ ^! s6 |" G$ K5 |When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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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。

8 n7 o# I5 [$ T1 z' J! k* M1 oRead 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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