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.
3 h. ?' N" s2 I* F4 t
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。

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.

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。
3 l7 E. F. F" Q+ s* Y- y
9 [- y6 @# `% E; M6 ~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.

4 \0 W6 P$ b2 N3 P6 T) y* i, `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。
9 `" \- C) X6 |% L3 u( R& H
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.
/ E$ P" n: Z* L1 s0 E/ X
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。

5 \! I( @( T+ \1 D- P5 vThe 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.
& T! \) q6 h4 D+ s6 ^/ x" }  G
  |. ?4 I" `( s3 l. i- @/ @8 n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。

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.

" v- J+ r) u4 B9 y; K0 [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。
8 z2 \9 k' z6 e/ d/ o0 k" i
; f) v* m3 M0 _8 XShane, 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。」
, }0 g  U% F" k0 F( m
9 h0 i3 ]6 g+ `: aStartled, 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?"
& a- k; X, x# l& A5 f+ z. G
' |/ V& @, Y1 W' p" {! h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？」

The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
. ^9 ]/ u+ ?* M3 K
3 R3 F% j' k0 X$ Z7 W0 ~7 M7 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

6 Y4 [" a- v' u2.transition：過渡，轉變

7 [) N0 o$ J' k- ]8 c9 `1 y0 o  M# ]3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…

4 M' p' x: C% u1 LRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

3 l' h4 O  J/ E  _  z. k6 z記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：

  f. F# e3 Y, J4 U; i9 c" \5 ^' iWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

3 u8 C( C" P) Z當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

; R! i% {0 H& x- b/ qNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

! u$ w, m$ ?- N. Q永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
8 u% m7 o! r. q: U6 H% C7 u
9 ~" P7 i! U/ m; ~* B0 cThrive on attention and let people touch you.
# U& f! I& `! ?4 C4 y! I
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
; E! [- K2 N/ h6 t+ u+ W
! Q, n# j/ x. K2 o! s- V) F3 \4 v# |When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
: p3 L. K% f' F
4 |9 k4 z2 b1 rBe loyal.
3 {4 w4 U; H/ D5 S
  Z3 Z1 J9 T8 _忠誠。

# g. }9 Q, u) Q3 c, DNever pretend to be something you're not.
% N, b5 t9 h. x% W+ U/ m) l
永遠不假裝。
3 w1 q& ?( S0 w
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。
/ s$ s* ~7 A. K
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