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.
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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。
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+ H$ E7 T" i% mThe 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.
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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。

0 ]5 g9 M# t/ b% r( T1 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.
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/ l7 g6 Q* [" h5 ]1 I8 G- ?1 z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。

0 j, x- X% I2 r- x9 W( fAs 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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1 T. g( t$ r0 V3 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。
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& N9 o: H( V9 N. n# ?! ZThe 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.

9 Z/ o# a& u% E# ~" u% Z* [0 {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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& O3 y2 C$ E4 D' f; n; |3 oThe 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.
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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."

, E& q9 D# N: \! s1 R: j靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」

5 b, ^& P8 |& `, q* sStartled, 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?"

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)
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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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2 l  |2 F4 u; T. Z& N$ Q2.transition：過渡，轉變
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. c" n7 X3 _( a: q5 _3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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% N& A; h2 b8 D5 p4 d記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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/ g* i% z% q7 L, q, ~8 j當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
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6 S1 O  Q) q4 X' {9 O" j& p5 Z永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

9 X: ^' b3 \" G4 d% r. RThrive on attention and let people touch you.
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隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

, i, l; _. x) K9 \) v8 dWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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; C6 j# Z! S  i- f- C高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.

忠誠。
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5 D! E  e8 u. }" \Never pretend to be something you're not.

永遠不假裝。

# h) ?1 W' b# Q4 X+ ]+ rWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

" w+ j% {" Z  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。
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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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