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.

" v( A8 M& {8 A& J) i2 E% ~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。

4 [, {6 _. K" I! DThe 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.
. B' _, ~1 \0 M, h- h( i' }, Y
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。
: x8 M1 g6 l# I
0 ~" z- ^5 R- II 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。
: [+ W) C' p! c0 ]: W! k6 _, ^; V& }
: }, ?" C$ V2 {, Y3 t0 O9 r; W  DAs 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.
4 `# i  x% {& `' X# a
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。
  ~. Y2 E" G) R, y
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.

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。
8 }: i9 C7 P: ?  \
2 z% \+ G3 _4 @8 LThe 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.

( c4 ^% d+ b- [  B: [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。

9 {' {, t) }7 ]5 M/ mShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
6 d; q. k* P& @
9 o* A6 b9 q* ^, ?  V& S/ S2 z) j; m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?"

1 {' b" ~4 E. Q8 C, @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？」

' r/ G, X% P& o* ~1 B" a# H; ~The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
$ s) t! ?0 [0 h' L0 @
2 {; ^: l" l6 l0 w* [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)

) g6 {5 Z- `" f& z' ]" ?2 U: z詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
, |/ w1 x- {1 f  ^' _3 C! L
2.transition：過渡，轉變
4 a( {4 U! I' V& s4 p4 y1 ]  x, }
: b7 I9 y; S  }# Z' {3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
8 t2 B2 Z+ h0 u) W# o
●狗老師的啟示…

; l7 ^0 f. f' MRemember, 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：
1 [1 v; Z) X( L+ G2 V
  x/ N* q6 S# O( ZWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
+ }0 A1 \2 y! Y- U6 d8 v) E
- s8 B" @6 s4 p" d" [8 b" l當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

+ L6 q6 H( `5 N$ [# ~Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
: U! Z% q0 s! b
* W! k6 T: G% }% k% n. t- Q& A5 _永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

" S' \* e, @& O* |+ T. hThrive on attention and let people touch you.

+ b, h2 M( t. I$ z: U' z) x隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

3 y7 C9 _) P1 V6 _+ t( uWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。
( x0 E, L( _* g& F
Be loyal.

忠誠。

Never pretend to be something you're not.
' ?6 ?) {. `$ D! j1 Q/ L# L7 n" \5 ]
永遠不假裝。
$ @* p8 G, H9 e6 y8 v$ B
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

; i$ W" [3 w* E% s8 A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。

# C9 A- W- B  k: L( q! XRead 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
2 ^  O% n/ ^4 m! n+ K