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.

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。

5 f: Q: E8 J0 }* q/ QThe 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。

5 k2 r( @. P4 U2 b) c4 OI 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。

, _; e( w% l. h9 q! [; d1 BAs 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.

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.
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% p/ ?7 h1 N# q, c" q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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% X3 X  y# t1 M1 M# cThe 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.

" G* j) N' z0 l, Z' J1 h5 u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."
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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。」

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?"

) G& W$ Q5 J% J7 T, v3 V" V) a5 G2 ~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？」

7 f! Z3 [8 c: EThe 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)
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詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
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2.transition：過渡，轉變
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) g) x0 u6 e/ S# Q  ^3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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  i8 Z1 F. ]  t6 j●狗老師的啟示…

Remember, 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：

2 V9 Y) D* ?9 k: g1 A! @  zWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

+ Z6 E3 |2 d" B0 Q$ F$ zNever 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。

7 u+ u" O9 }! [/ H# q4 J0 h2 xThrive on attention and let people touch you.
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+ @$ o8 j+ ]6 J: j% O1 j( f隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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8 ]# ~  H& ~$ B9 l: b9 _; d9 DWhen 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。
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% E: T( d# I( hBe loyal.

忠誠。
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/ j# u$ F7 r& x; {+ G/ Y( _Never pretend to be something you're not.
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- ?- l- T2 P/ d5 W8 {. `" X  B永遠不假裝。

( ~" F+ M' k# ^; H0 cWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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7 e5 {% F7 c$ O" t4 Q, k7 r" F. M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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