狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
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/ h. B* A3 |0 H5 E4 {' `& z6 d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。

) u3 R0 z7 W+ r% K0 t; IThe 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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  \8 }0 r, ~5 d, N3 pBelker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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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.

* y& Y% N# x& r5 S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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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.
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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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4 r- t* S( R# f7 [" x% W0 tThe 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.

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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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.

6 w- m3 B3 `  J2 G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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; `/ ?  W, a' G: N% i3 oShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

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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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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1 ^# r& h; p/ 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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7 U& J7 d* _% }( B: {! z+ R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

3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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9 m4 W/ U' @% u●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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( Z9 h* Q, B3 g6 {  z5 o記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

0 M0 o# N6 K: {# `) ?/ E8 KWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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) c( B5 y# k; y4 l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。

1 o  E! I: A1 b) Q  e& k& I9 h. O9 V! P( bThrive on attention and let people touch you.

3 t* U  y) s: h7 `- s  U隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

/ U) n9 H  F4 N/ O+ U; p/ @When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

* T$ s/ Q1 k* Q" V) K2 DBe loyal.

. C+ x  r8 \1 B$ x4 I/ _忠誠。

Never pretend to be something you're not.

% z1 G6 N! u6 @. V+ F永遠不假裝。

6 T+ R5 z! M' W( k/ j/ z4 q6 RWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

* b9 N  Y5 [* b% Q. y8 S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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