狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
& v& y# D( l. b! p
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
8 d: G" t5 I5 W9 y2 ~
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 Q: _' \7 o( }
2 c* e7 F8 W0 s, ^4 N0 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.
: X7 e5 s+ x5 H4 Q
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。
+ B9 V4 O7 f/ U3 {' t
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.

  I* J0 o# x) E7 j( _9 D4 g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。
$ e: j4 M# C$ O1 I, \: p% ^4 d) J
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.
+ _7 q8 Q2 d7 Z% ~* V
+ q1 H' ~: D6 O- C+ d& O6 C2 B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。
( G; i2 _; G9 @
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.

( Z, p" ]; O/ \7 ^. v, s. Y4 o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。

3 I; T3 h8 i. y. q3 x5 m( _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.

. L& ^7 J0 C( l& y/ [1 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。

! n  S0 N* h( t! y% bShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
$ z7 y# {  }" {5 z5 ~
/ }8 X- u* ~* V. d2 M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?"

3 `- h  ?# J% ^8 t! G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？」
$ G+ U  o$ h8 _" c
The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
' o  N8 S6 \( R) V6 k  h( P- x7 C
$ N) R1 L. y0 Q# ~0 D5 D6 O" c2 X' }+ X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)

5 N# I) X9 f' Z* Z) h$ F* g詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
3 N- Q0 P* ?3 A- i
6 c* ]+ Y' R. b8 R) ]4 C2.transition：過渡，轉變

3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
7 Y7 a4 K. [! o  C
$ X, o; V9 Y' r/ m4 G1 F- m5 e●狗老師的啟示…

$ W) O# h; o- @5 Q' o$ ARemember, 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：

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

% c1 g, x4 v+ _$ {$ M' j# e- l/ Y當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
* `. g) \0 g) |" i' L/ i
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
9 ?" \# N9 h3 w% t: f9 [6 ]' t
永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
5 P% v9 ]. Y- l( O/ ]% m  F
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

4 [  ]8 I6 E* Q$ |1 k高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.

8 K* Y; b0 }7 {# ]9 x6 ^忠誠。
' d" [( h7 k0 h+ M
Never pretend to be something you're not.

. V* F8 c7 T( E7 c1 f" s永遠不假裝。

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
) T1 O' o3 A4 K$ t
; [& z& `' o; @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。

0 P! M+ m: ^/ F" R4 iRead 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
# G7 B5 ~" v3 P; q9 Q