狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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6 V9 }- X  D  hBeing 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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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.

! r8 k) M; K0 U! L$ f' P  o+ ?- r& \5 lBelker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。

3 t0 P; W1 X3 `8 |" R2 nI 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.

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。
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2 J8 @, |7 o& 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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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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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.

  ?( n3 @) c" N' r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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9 N1 Y' u  x0 B# t$ uThe 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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" n+ X) c* ~) u. ~+ l% ~Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

3 A' F3 w6 f, v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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5 e8 h' w+ B* B7 ^9 B% rStartled, 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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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？」

0 t5 _1 M& K  \  Z% _# t) WThe 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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  C2 f( c+ B& j2 a+ S  Z3 ?! c% B3 ^& d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.transition：過渡，轉變
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; t  Y* E# F5 \; \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:

" R& t+ V- z3 w4 t% S- b% V記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

" f& ^' P  b1 v: }: ]6 y; vWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

4 D9 U9 d  u7 G' d' @; E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.
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永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
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8 a8 F9 U# K  _/ X5 B隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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3 o- |6 _; F# l) f2 K  [( g) _$ [When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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! W1 ?7 p0 O) `: R$ s0 @6 H8 r8 p2 ]高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
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Be loyal.
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7 j2 P6 w" O' |+ T- y' Z忠誠。
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! ^! s- p" A1 sNever pretend to be something you're not.

/ f6 J; j. g3 b8 m; Z永遠不假裝。
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When 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。

! ?4 |1 ?; X" C6 R1 b, ARead 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